Rajasthan high court lifts ban on short-term permits for sand mining

Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday lifted the stay on short-term permits (STPs) issued on small agriculture plots for sand mining. The move would bring some relief to people, companies and government agencies struggling to carry out construction activities. The division bench of Justice M Rafiq and G R Moolchandani said that such mining on agriculture land has minimal environmental impact. "In respect of short-term permits, adverse environmental impact would be minimal on account of the fact that the quantity of bajri which can be excavated has been specified. The short term permits have been granted because bajri is required for government projects of great public importance," the order said. "Since we are not concerned with grant of mining leases on river beds, the requirement of replenishment study is inherently not applicable to the sites in question," the court added.