BENGALURU: Terming the state’s sand policy as arbitrary and with no rationale behind it, the High Court on Tuesday asked the state government why it cannot open sand depots like fair price shops or Indira Canteens to avoid harassment to the people.
A division bench of acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar posed this question when Rajender Kumar Kataria, Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries (Mines and MSME), appeared before the court in response to the directions issued in the morning session. He was asked to appear before the court in response to the petition filed by a private person from Ballari district against the state for rejecting the highest bid offered by him for auction of sand, saying that it is too high.
When Additional Advocate General A S Ponnanna tried to explain the standards adopted as per the sand policy for auction of sand, the court pulled up the government, saying that the state’s sand policy is arbitrary and there is no rationale behind it.
Observing that the state government should have a practical policy, the court said, “If you (government) don’t accept the highest bid, you should fix a ceiling on bid for sand, instead of rejecting the highest bid offered by the applicant. Because of rejection, the litigations are increasing before this court and it is resulting in harassment to people.”