Legalise sand mining in Goa: Congress MP

Panaji, Sep 8 South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha on Thursday said the state government should legalise the sand extraction by identifying appropriate sites.

Sardinha was reacting to an incident of killing of sand extraction worker from Jharkhand in a firing on August 31 at Curchorem in South Goa.

On August 31, one sand extraction worker from Jharkhand was killed while another critically injured in a firing incident at Curchorem in South Goa.

Yusuf Alam, 23, and Mohammed Sahu, 33, were brought to a health centre after the incident.

Alam was declared dead, while Sahu was shifted to Goa Medical College for treatment as he was in a critical condition.

"It was shocking that a sand extraction worker was killed in Curchorem. Time and again I have requested the government to earmark places for sand extraction. Four or five times I requested, but the government turned Nelson's eye on my demand," he said.

Congress senior leader Sardinha said that traditional sand extraction should take place in the state.

"Only thing is that sand should not be extracted near bridges," Sardinha said.

"Sand is required for new constructions of houses and buildings. Sand extraction is happening, though it is banned. This illegal practice increases the price of sand and it never decreases later," he said.

"I want to ask the government, when this sand (illegally) is extracted, stored and transported, why action is not taken against them," he questioned.

"Hence I demand to legalise the sand extraction and earmark the places," He said.

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