PANJIM: After missing out four seasons, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) is all set to grant sand mining permits in River Chapora. The DMG has invited online applications from the local community for extracting sand by manual method only.
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. With DMG not granting permits, illegal sand mining has going on rampantly across the State since 2018.
In a public notice issued on Monday, the DMG has invited applications from persons from the local community for grant of sand extraction permit for 1000 cubic meter for one year in Zone 1 (Morjim), Zone 2 (Pirna), Zone 5 (Ozorim) and Zone 6 (Agarwada) of River Chapora. The last date for online application is January 8, 2023.
“Sand extraction is permitted by manual method only and use of any machinery is prohibited,” DMG said.
DMG had earlier this month notified the amendment to the 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.
The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (GSEIAA), in October 2021, granted Environment Clearance (EC) to North Goa District Collector to carry out sand mining in four zones of River Chapora, manually by traditional communities. However the same was challenged before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), where the matter is currently pending.
