HYDERABAD: The HC on Friday stayed notification issued inviting e-tenders-cum-e-auction for grant of quarry leases for desiltation of ordinary sand in Venkatapalem, Undavalli and Rayapudi sand reaches in Guntur district.
Justice PV Sanjay Kumar passed the interim order in batch petitions filed by various sand mining societies of Guntur district. The petitioners wanted the impugned notification dated Jan 20, 2016 issued by the chairman of District Level Sand Committee (DLSC) be declared illegal.
The petitioners’ counsel contended that Joint Collector, who is also chairperson of DLSC, has no power to publish the notification as the AP Minor Mineral Concession Rules have not yet been amended by the Gazette after formulation of new Sand Policy. Pursuant to new Sand mining policy, quarrying of sand was entrusted to women SHG societies. In Dec last year, the DLSC passed orders for de-siltation of sand in the above sand reaches to petitioner societies for a one year term, he argued.