Sainiani Boila 
[Source: Fiji Government/Facebook]
The illegal extraction of gravel and sand continues to increase says Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Vosarogo.
Vosarogo says most of the companies involved in the extraction do not comply with the mandate set by the Ministry.
He says some companies who have the licenses are carrying out work beyond their approval.
“When they’re issued with a license, there are expectations that they would harvest only what is enough. Still it’s able to maintain the ecological life of the river. Once they overdo it, they go overboard many times. I am talking about people who are legal, although they got license to quarry, remove and extract stones and sands but then they do it way above what they are authorized to do and then they are the ones who are illegal.”
Vosarogo says they are currently working with the Fiji Police Force to revive their agreement in an effort to clamp down on illegal operators.
The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources can impose hefty fines for those found breaching the gravel and sand extraction agreement.
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