Goa bans transportation of sand out of the state

PANAJI: Goa has banned transportation of sand out of the state.

The state government issued a notification yesterday to this effect.

State Mines and Geology Director, Arvind Lolienkar, has said in the notification that "under the Central Mining Law, ordinary sand extracted in the state of Goa is hereby banned from transportation through any destination outside the territorial limit of the state of Goa".

Lolienkar said the notification was issued since "Goa had witnessed excessive sand mining activity, majority of which (sand) was being taken outside the state." The ban will come into effect immediately, he said.

Local environmentalists have expressed fear that excessive sand mining along rivers may cause a great damage.

There were protests in villages too, where it is suspected that sea water is percolating into wells, making water saline, due to excessive sand mining.

The state mines department has currently given 59 licences for sand extraction in the state.