SC stays Rajasthan HC order on sand mining

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the order of Rajasthan High Court which allowed the auction of sand-mining blocks in the state. The Supreme Court order comes after Letters of Intent were issued. The state government had issued a notice against the review petition which challenged the high court order. The top court heard the state and asked it to respond within four weeks. A fixed ban on sand (bajri) mining was imposed in Rajasthan after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the reports of environmental damage through it.