PANJIM: The State government has directed North Goa Collector to expedite the process of grant of Environment Clearances (ECs) to allow legal sand extraction from the river beds, where the preliminary report by the agency is been submitted.

The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) had not renewed or granted sand mining permits for last three seasons 2018, 2019 and 2020, after an NGO approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking restrictions on the number of sand mining permits. DMG had issued over 300 sand mining permits for the 2017 season with a cap of 1,400 cubic metres per permit.

The DMG has decided to allow legal sand mining in Chapora and its tributaries, as per the preliminary report submitted by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).

Speaking to the media persons, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said that necessary directions have been issued to the District Collector to expedite grant of ECs to the Mines Department to issue permits for sand mining, wherever possible.

“We also want sand mining activities to resume. The government is also losing a lot of revenue and people’s livelihood is affected. There are many families dependent on the business,” Sawant said.

But the Chief Minister said that the sand mining matter is pending before the High Court as well as in the National Green Tribunal (NGT).