TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal’s ban on mining river sand across the country has come as a blow to the State’s sand mining industry, just when sand was set to be available after the government was trying to get its act together.
Though sand was part of the real estate boom in Goa, the past few years have seen a recession due to the ban by the State government.
The NGT has asked river sand miners to stop all mining till they get permission from either the Central Environment Ministry or its counterpart in the States.
Many in business and government circles point out that sand is essential for not only commercial construction, but even private construction, “even to build your bathroom,” as one official put it.
Officials and industry persons also point out that the rules are followed mostly in States like Goa which are by and large literate and have a strong NGO presence, while in States where the mafia is strong these rules and orders rarely matter as in case anybody stands up to them, it is at the peril of his life or job as recent instances in one of India’s largest states has shown.’
“Since the sand from Karwar was stopped (from being brought into Goa) we faced a lot of problems,” says Desh Prabhudessai of CREDAI, the commercial real estate association in Goa.
Stressing that sand is an important raw material for the industry, he said that they had been interacting with the government in trying to sort out this problem.
“Because of this shortage, rates have shot up,” he says, adding that as it is the industry is going through a recession.
Agrees Manjunath Dukle another builder from Margao,“As it is, there is no market, no buyers. Rates have already gone up from Rs 400 to Rs 1200 per cubic metre,” he says, adding that if a ban is enforced the rates will go up even further.
“If this situation continues, not only me but all will have to get out of construction,” he argued.
Tony Rodrigues, of T R Constructions Panjim and former Mayor said, “It is very difficult to procure sand as it is inadequate to meet the demands by the real estate and whatever is available comes at a heavy price.”
He pointed out that sand once cost Rs 700 per cubic metre but is now priced at Rs 1,500 per cubic metre which also includes transportation. In case trucks are provided by the builder, it was pointed out that what cost Rs 350 per cubic metre is now charged Rs 1,000 a cubic metre.
This will have an adverse effect on construction projects at a time when sales are already down, Rodrigues opined.
