Goa sand mining continued in Curtorim despite recent interventions by residents, with Maina-Curtorim police seizing another truck and arresting its driver for allegedly transporting illegally extracted sand from the Zuari river. The seizure took place at Khorje in the early hours of Wednesday, a day after locals intercepted at least eight sand-laden trucks in the same area and handed them over to police.
Police arrested Valentino Fernandes, 46, a resident of Sao Jose de Areal, and recovered approximately 10 cubic metres of sand valued at Rs 25,000, according to the report. The sand was allegedly extracted from the river and transported by truck. Police registered a case under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 21 of the Mines and Minerals Act.
The latest action has heightened concerns among residents that enforcement in Curtorim remains intermittent. Villagers told the Times of India that clandestine sand extraction and transportation had continued in the area for years, with operators returning after short-lived police action. Residents have demanded a sustained crackdown rather than isolated seizures.
Local residents also said that illegal extraction was taking place at other locations in South Goa. They warned that action concentrated in a single village could displace the activity to other riverine areas instead of stopping the wider supply chain. The report did not specify whether authorities had announced a broader operation across South Goa or identified the individuals coordinating the alleged network.
Residents linked the persistence of the trade to demand from the construction sector and limited employment opportunities in riverside villages. According to their account, young men have become involved in operating suction pumps, loading sand and transporting it to buyers. They also said that trucks previously used for iron ore transportation had returned to use in the sand trade after mining activity halted.
The complaints extend beyond the legality of extraction. Residents said machines operating at night disturb sleep, particularly for children and elderly people. They also alleged that houses close to the river had developed cracks, which they attributed to sand extraction. These claims were reported as residents’ allegations and were not accompanied in the source report by an engineering assessment or an official finding establishing a direct link.
The seizure follows the interception of multiple trucks by villagers and places renewed attention on how illegal construction-material supply chains are monitored. The police case against the arrested driver will now proceed under the provisions cited by the department. Residents are seeking continuing police action at Curtorim and enforcement against similar activity reported elsewhere along South Goa’s river stretches.
