PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed ban on sand mining activities in the riverbeds of areas located within 500 metres of any bridge , water supply system and infiltration well or pumping installation in Goa.
The Principal Bench comprising of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr Satyawan Singh Garbyal has also said that sand quarrying shall not be carried out below the groundwater table under any circumstances and it should not disturb in any way the turbidity, velocity and flow pattern of the river water.
The order was passed by NGT while disposing of application filed by Goa Paryavaran Savrakshan Sangharsh Samitee with regards to illegal quarrying of stone, basalt and rubber stones in Pernem Taluka and other parts of the State.
“There shall be no quarrying of sand in any riverbed or adjoining area or any other area which is located within 500 m (are within the parameters as fixed by CPCB) radial distances from the location of any bridge, water supply system, infiltration well or pumping installation,” the order mentioned.
The Bench said the ultimate working depth shall be one metre from the present natural riverbed level and the thickness of the sand available shall be more than three metres in the proposed quarry site.
“The sand quarrying shall not be carried out below the ground water table under any circumstances. In case, the ground water table occurs within the permitted depth of one metre, quarrying operation shall be stopped immediately,” it said.
The NGT has directed the Taluka Level Force to monitor the mining activity in a month by conducting physical verification.
The NGT further said that once the mining activities are closed, the licensee shall immediately remove all the sheds put up in the quarry and all the equipment used for operation of sand quarry. The 66 roads/pathways shall be levelled to let the river resume its normal course without any artificial obstruction to the extent possible, it added.
“The mined out pits to be backfilled where warranted and area should be suitably landscaped to prevent environmental degradation,” it said.
