Team Herald
PANJIM: The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has asked Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) and National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to identify and demarcate grid for undertaking sand mining in River Chapora.
The DMG has received around 125 online applications from the local community for extracting sand by manual method from four zones of River Chapora.
DMG had in December, last month, invited applications from persons from the local community for grant of permit for sand extraction of 1000 cubic meter for one year in Zone 1 (Morjim), Zone 2 (Pirna), Zone 5 (Ozorim) and Zone 6 (Agarwada) of River Chapora.
Speaking to Herald, DMG Director Suresh Shanbhogue said that around 125 applications have been received as on January 8, the last date of submitting online application. He said that the scrutiny of the applications has commenced.
“The permits will be granted once the GSBB and NIO submit report identifying and demarcating the grid in each zone for undertaking sand extraction activities,” he said.
DMG had not renewed or granted sand mining permits for the last four seasons – 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021– after an NGO had approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking restrictions on the number of sand mining permits.
DMG last month notified Goa Minor Mineral Concession Rules to streamline the process of traditional sand mining through manual extraction method.
In the rules, DMG specified that those operators who were granted licence for extraction of ordinary sand during the period from February 21, 1974, to December 31, 2010, including the person’s legal heir would be eligible to apply.
In addition any person who is born and whose birth is registered, in the State, and whose either of parents or grandparents are born in Goa and who is residing in Goa at least for a period of fifteen years is permitted to make an application for grant of permission for sand extraction.
As per the rules, the sand extraction activities are permitted only between 6 am and 6 pm.
