SUnder the leadership of Saïd Baaziz, a member of parliament from the Ittihadi socialist-opposition group, the exploratory mission began in the summer of 2023. The parliamentarians met with ministers and local officials and carried out field visits to several quarries. Their findings are alarming: quarry management is marked by a lack of coordination between the various authorities involved, illegal exploitation and the anarchic location of quarries, often in the heart of residential or agricultural areas.
The report reveals that local officials are complicit with quarry operators, thus promoting illegal practices that harm the general interest. The mission highlights the urgency of protecting inspectors and local authorities who are regularly threatened by criminal groups specializing in sand theft.
Law No. 27.13 relating to quarries, adopted in 2018, is far from sufficient to regulate this sector. According to Saïd Baaziz, the overlap of skills between different administrations and the fact that many quarries are located on collective land exacerbate management problems. The mission calls for an overhaul of this legislative framework to better structure the sector and put an end to illegal practices.
Among the recommendations of the report are the establishment of framework agreements involving all stakeholders in the sector to resolve the problems of abandoned quarries and the simplification of procedures to encourage investment. The creation of information platforms to ensure transparency and attract private investors is also recommended.
The parliamentary mission emphasizes the importance of developing regional career management plans, in coordination with other territorial planning documents such as the general orientation of the territorial planning policy and regional development programs.
The mission’s report was presented before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and the Environment, highlighting the responsibility of the various administrative entities in the current state of the quarrying sector and calling for immediate action to put in place integrated management plans, aimed at reducing negative impacts on the environment and maximizing economic benefits for the State and local communities.
