Panaji: The Congress party in Goa has leveled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, claiming that a crackdown on illegal sand mining in Nhaybag-Pedne was abruptly halted at the behest of a senior BJP leader. At a press conference, Pradesh Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar called this a blatant disregard for a High Court order and demanded suo moto cognizance by the court.
Illegal sand mining has been a persistent problem in Goa since 2012. Despite repeated assurances from the BJP government to legalize the trade, no concrete action has been taken. Kawthankar criticized the government's inaction and highlighted the bad impact of the activity on traditional sand miners. It has also led to an exorbitant rise in sand prices, making it difficult for Goans to afford to construct homes.
"The BJP touts itself as a 'double engine' government," Kawthankar remarked. "Then who is stopping them from legalizing sand mining? The price of a single truckload of sand has skyrocketed from Rs. 7,000-8,000 to Rs. 36,000. How can Goans build their homes with such inflated prices?"
He held the government entirely responsible for this chaos and accused it of failing to control illegal sand mining.