HC stays Rajasthan govt's nod for short-term sand mining

While staying the state government’s notification allowing short-term permits for sand (bajri) mining on agriculture land, the RajasthanHigh Court on Thursday issued notice to the government. The court directed the district collectors to form Special Task Force (STFs) and conduct raids on places where bajri is being used for construction and penalise the builders.

The single bench of Justice SP Sharma issued the order on a petition by one Sanjay Kumar Garg.

The court noted that bajri is being sold at various places and builders are using bajri for construction, although the sand mining activities have been closed by the Supreme Court.