Panaji: The National Green Tribunal’s Western Zone Bench at Pune has granted the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) a final one-week extension to file its reply affidavit in a batch of appeals challenging environmental clearances for sand mining in Goa’s rivers, while imposing costs of Rs 50,000 for repeated non-compliance.
The order was passed on January 28 while the Tribunal was hearing multiple appeals filed by the Goa River Sand Protection Network against environmental clearances granted to the Directorate of Mines and Geology. The appeals challenge permissions issued by the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for manual extraction of river sand in areas falling within the Coastal Regulation Zone.
The Bench said the GCZMA had repeatedly failed to file its reply affidavit despite several opportunities being granted earlier. It said that on the previous date, four weeks’ time had been allowed to GCZMA to file its reply, and that even prior to that, on August 13, 2025, the authority had not filed its affidavit. The Tribunal said as many as 12 connected matters had to be adjourned only because of GCZMA’s failure to comply, resulting in avoidable delay in proceedings relating to ecologically sensitive CRZ areas.
Taking note of the impact of the delay on multiple appeals being heard together, the Tribunal said it was granting one final week to GCZMA to place its affidavit on record, subject to payment of Rs 50,000 to the account of the National Green Tribunal Bar Association, Western Zone Bench.
The dispute before the Tribunal relates to environmental clearances issued for sand extraction in CRZ areas. The Bench said SEIAA had granted environmental clearance for sand mining in 12 river zones across Goa, subject to conditions including the requirement of obtaining clearance from GCZMA. It said sand mining is prohibited in CRZ areas under the CRZ Notification, 2011, except under limited circumstances.
The contested sites include multiple zones along the Mandovi and Zuari rivers, with varying extraction areas. The Mandovi river zones include sites near Khandola, Betki, Betqui, Volvoi, Savoi-Verem and Erkan Concan, while the Zuari river zones include sites in Shiroda, Borim, Panchawadi and Macazana in Salcete taluka.
During the hearing, counsel for SEIAA said the application process did not expressly require prior CRZ clearance at the Form-II stage. The Tribunal said the requirement to disclose CRZ status in the application exists to ensure that prior CRZ clearance is obtained before environmental clearance is considered. It also said a 2022 office memorandum of the Union environment ministry mandates a combined CRZ and environmental clearance process for Category ‘B’ projects in CRZ areas.
The matter has been posted for further consideration on February 16.
