House assures solutions to sand mining, noise pollution - Herald

House assures solutions to sand mining, noise pollution

March 8, 2014

TEAM HERALD

 

PANJIM: Friday witnessed a slew of private resolutions ranging from re-starting of sand mining with fixed rules, allowing weddings till midnight, traffic discipline, widening of roads, and amendments to the Tenancy Act. 

Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane also wanted a fishing harbour to be constructed at Aguada or below Cabo. 

However, all were withdrawn after assurance from the treasury benches that they would be inquired into or action initiated.

On the sand mining issue the chief minister assured the house that government was seized of the matter and said that two committees had been formed and the licensing process had started after they had finalized sites where sand mining would take place.

He also said that in Goa there was only silt and not sand and that was one solution to circumvent the current judicial directions. MLAs agreed that parameters had to be maintained and rules framed for the same.

On the noise pollution issue, Environment Minister Alina Saldanha said that the directions were from central government and were backed by directions from the apex court and had to be followed especially as they dealt with disturbance to the general population.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar intervened to say that some solution could be found as long as it did not disturb the general public. He said this could be achieved by reducing the volume and allowing the event to continue or find some convenient place, but people should not be disturbed at any cost. 

Parrikar said that when 

the next government comes they would approach it 

and try and to get some concessions.

The fisheries minister Avertano Furtado told the Leader of Opposition that there were plans to improve the Malim and Chapora fishing jetties and the work would commence after the code of conduct. He also promised him that he would visit the sites suggested by Rane and then take a call.

The transport minister said that there was problem with traffic, as the vehicular population had increased while the size of the roads had remained the same due to lack of land.

He said that the government had constituted three organisations, CRRI, a NGO and the PWD to find solutions to this even as he said that he had given directions to the PWD to try and correct identified accident-prone areas.

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