The National Green Tribunal (NGT), by an order dated January 28, 2026, has imposed a penalty of ₹50,000 on the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for failing to file its affidavit in sand mining cases pending before the tribunal.
The tribunal has also rescheduled the hearing of the matters to February 16, 2026.
The cases relate to 12 environment clearances granted on February 3, 2025, by the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for sand mining operations in the state. These clearances allowed sand extraction in seven zones of the Mandovi river and five zones of the Zuari river.
The clearances were challenged on the grounds that they were issued without mandatory prior approval from the GCZMA, a requirement for activities falling within Coastal Regulation Zone areas. Twelve separate appeals were filed questioning the legality of the permissions.
The appellants have argued that sand mining is not a permissible activity under the Coastal Regulation Zone notification and is, in fact, expressly prohibited. They also pointed out that an earlier attempt by the state government to seek an amendment to the notification to permit sand mining was rejected by the Union environment ministry.
The appeals have remained pending for nearly a year. During an earlier hearing, the tribunal had granted GCZMA a final opportunity to submit its affidavit. The authority’s failure to comply with that direction led to the imposition of the monetary penalty.
The tribunal observed that procedural lapses would not be condoned, particularly in cases concerning environmental protection, and fixed February 16, 2026, as the next date of hearing.
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