Team Herald
PANJIM: The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has extended the deadline for receiving online applications from local community members for sand extraction permits in the Mandovi and Zuari rivers. The new deadline is January 10, 2025.
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Applicants have been advised to visit the Directorate’s official website, https://dmg.goa.gov.in, to access zone demarcation maps, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for online applications, and further details. The DMG has clarified that the issuance of permits is contingent on obtaining environmental clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
Legal sand mining in Goa has been banned since 2018 following a petition by the River Sand Protectors Network, which urged the authorities to restrict sand extraction permits due to environmental concerns. The six-year ban was accompanied by numerous complaints about illegal sand extraction activities.
In response, the State government started the process of reintroducing regulated sand extraction permits for the Mandovi and Zuari rivers. The government received environmental clearance for 12 designated zones – seven in the Mandoviriver and five in the Zuari river. The permits are exclusively for local community members employing traditional, manual methods of sand extraction.
Each permit includes a strict annual cap of 1,000 cubic metres and limits extraction to between 6 am and 6 pm.
The DMG has invited online applications in accordance with the eligibility criteria and other conditions outlined in the Goa Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
In October this year, the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) had recommended granting of environmental clearances (ECs) for sand mining in Mandovi and Zuari rivers.
It may be recalled that in August this year, the State government had withdrawn four environment clearances (ECs) all dated October 2021 granted by the SEIAA for extraction of sand in Goa’s rivers as it was issued without undertaking the District Survey Report (DSR).
The River Sand Protectors Network in its appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had also challenged granting of ECs in the estuarine area of the Chapora river sine it was highly sensitive and main grounds for breeding of turtles, apart from sand dunes and mangroves in the vicinity.
