The Supreme Court has stayed the government decision to amend standard on excavation of stones, pebbles, and their sales.
A division bench of justices Kumar Regmi and Hari Prasad Phunyal on Thursday decided to continue the interim order asking the government to not implement its decision to revise the standard on excavation of stone, sand and pebbles and its sales and distribution.
Although the latest version of standard is yet to be fully implemented, the amendment in it has the strength to pose serious threat to existence of river system and the issues related to national life. It will cause irreparable loss, the court argued.
The amended standard on excavation would cause irreparable loss to human settlement, international border, heritages of cultural and religious importance, marshland, and educational and health institutions.
On behalf of Environment Law Society Nepal, advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha had filed a writ petition against the amendment of the standard on excavation of sand, pebbles and stones making defendants the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.
He had argued that the amendment was reaching the excavation close to human settlement, forest area, and highway.
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