Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Directorate of Mines has notified a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) regulating the import of minor minerals from outside Goa for subsequent export from the state, introducing stricter compliance requirements aimed at ensuring transparency and preventing illegal movement of minerals.
Issued under the provisions of the Goa Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1985, the SOP lays down a detailed framework governing the import, storage, processing and export of minor minerals brought into Goa from other states.
Under the new procedure, any person or entity intending to import minor minerals into Goa for export must first obtain prior permission from the Directorate of Mines. Applicants are required to furnish details of the quantity and type of mineral being imported, its source, intended destination, mode of transport and the location where the material will be stored or processed within the state.
The SOP also makes it mandatory for importers to declare the storage yards, stockyards or processing facilities where the minerals will be kept before export. Authorities will use these details to monitor the movement and handling of the material within Goa.
For units engaged in processing imported minerals, additional disclosures have been made compulsory. Such applicants must specify the quantity of processed material expected to be produced and provide details of the waste or by-products generated during processing, enabling the Directorate to verify material balances and prevent misuse.
The Directorate has further stipulated that importers must obtain separate transit or export permits before transporting the imported minerals out of Goa. No consignment will be allowed to leave the state without the prescribed permissions.
To strengthen enforcement, the SOP empowers the Competent Officer to direct importers or processing units to install weighbridges wherever considered necessary for accurate measurement and monitoring of mineral quantities. The Competent Officer has also been authorised to impose additional conditions on a case-to-case basis to ensure effective regulation and prevent illegal transportation or diversion of minor minerals.
