The National Green Tribunal Western Zone on Thursday directed that only manual dredging of sand be allowed in the coastal areas of Thane, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and Ratnagiri, those falling under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). This would be helpful in curbing illegal mining by sand mafia using machines.
Justice VR Kingaonkar and expert member Dr Ajay Deshpande, in their 44-page order, laid down guidelines to be followed by the authorities while allowing the manual method but directed them to decide on the quantification of sand to be drawn.
Another direction to the authorities is to ensure that transport vehicles are not allowed within the beach areas and all the vehicles are parked only at approved designated locations marked by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
The contractors to whom the work for clearance of the channel is given will be allowed to use dredgers only between 11am and 4pm. The use of transport vehicles too won't be permitted beyond 4pm and, in any case, they won't be allowed parking in the CRZ areas.
These directions were given while hearing a PIL filed by Mumbai-based Awaaz Foundation against illegal sand mining in coastal areas. The PIL was transferred to the tribunal last year after it was first filed in the Bombay high court in 2006.
The bench also said the collector may act as a coordinator of the auctioning process and controller for the activities, also for collecting the revenue after 'e' auction sale of the sand extracted.
The competent authorities, including the controlling authority (the police/coastal police) shall give full support/assistance to MMB and CRZ authorities to ensure compliances of CRZ guidelines as well as the conditions enumerated while awarding the contracts for maintenance dredging, transportation of the sand and use of the vehicles, the bench directed.
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