Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the state government to implement a robust and coordinated framework to curb illegal sand mining activities across the state.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Ashish Chavan disposed of a contempt petition filed by the Goa River Sand Protectors Network, while simultaneously issuing stringent directions to enforce monitoring and preventive measures.
The Court ordered the creation of taluka-level flying squads, supervised by Deputy Collectors, tasked with checking violations. These squads are to include officials from Revenue, Police, Captain of Ports, Mines and Geology, Transport, and Water Resources departments. To ensure swift action and coordination, the squads are instructed to maintain internal WhatsApp groups and conduct surprise inspections in river areas between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., assisted by the Coastal Police.
Emphasizing that isolated actions were insufficient, the Court called for a comprehensive mechanism to monitor, prevent, and prosecute illegal sand mining effectively.
Additionally, the order empowers the Captain of Ports to seize any unregistered canoes or crafts within 100 meters of riverbanks and bans their use in inland waters. Police and transport officials have been directed to monitor sand-laden trucks between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m. along specified routes in both North and South Goa.
During the proceedings, Advocate General Devidas Pangam assured the Court that the government would take all necessary steps to curb illegal sand mining throughout Goa.
This move is expected to strengthen enforcement against a long-standing problem affecting Goa’s rivers and environment.
