Court revokes stay on sand mining in Maharashtra

MUMBAI - The Bombay High Court Tuesday vacated the stay on sand mining, with a condition that the excavation must not exceed two metres from the surface of the river or creek.

In a ruling which comes as a major respite for the state government and the construction industry, a division bench of Justice B. H. Marlapalle and Justice U. D. Salvi expressed its satisfaction over the new sand mining policy declared by the state government last week.

The high court last month had asked the state government to formulate a new policy on sand mining, given its environmental significance. When the government failed to act, the court Sep 23 imposed a stay on sand mining activity across the state.

The state cabinet last week approved the draft of the new sand mining policy, but the high court declined to revoke the stay till a copy was placed before it.

With the withdrawal of the ban, the construction industry will now take up all the mega-projects which were stalled or were on the verge of getting stalled due to sand shortage.