Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji

Panaji, Aug 13: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday directed government officers, including those in the revenue and police departments, to act with responsibility and accountability in tackling illegal sand mining.

“If the state’s wealth in the form of sand is excavated and exported, or sold in the black market, it will adversely impact the state itself. An officer working for the state government is expected to be the custodian of all property belonging to the state,” observed the division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta.

The court’s remarks came after photographs showing illegally stacked sand at Naibag, Pernem, being loaded onto trucks were presented during the hearing.

Director of mines and geology, Narayan Gad, informed the court that taluka-level flying squads entrusted with acting against illegal mining, extraction, storage, and transportation of sand have been reconstituted for better coordination and swift action.

The squads, headed by the deputy collector and SDM — or in their absence, the mamlatdar/joint mamlatdar — will attend to complaints from district-level nodal officers or the public, and may also take suo motu action, including night inspections. They will conduct enforcement on roads and river waters, using suitable boats from coastal security, police, or the captain of ports when required.

Action taken reports and inspection reports must be submitted to the additional collector, who serves as the district-level nodal officer, within three days. The nodal officer will forward complaints to the squads, maintain a database of actions taken, and review the squads’ functioning regularly.

During the hearing, Milind Naik of the Goa River Sand Protectors Network filed an affidavit alleging that illegal sand mining and transportation continued in Goa’s rivers at Maina in Bicholim, Maina in Curtorim, and St Estevam, despite HC directions. He also submitted photographs to support the claims.