Sand extractors need not worry, order applies to iron ore mines: Dhavalikar

PONDA: PWD minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, on Friday, assured traditional sand extractors that the Supreme Court judgement stopping mining in the state was not applicable to them. Traditional sand extractors along the Mandovi river had expressed their apprehension over the future of their business.
“We have already paid the required fee to the mines department recently. We have 110 registered members and their families are dependent on the business,” said chairman of the River Mandovi Traditional Sand Extraction Association, Vishal Volvoikar. In 2012, when the mining ban had come into effect, sand was also brought to a standstill. tnn