Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Shivdani Paswan Vs State of Bihar & Others dated 22/10/2021.

The matter related to stay on the auction of sand blocks and granting any mining lease in Bihar till a proper, scientific and legally valid district survey report is prepared in terms of the Notification, January 15, 2016 and the Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines, 2016. Further, the applicant has requested quashing of MOM, September 22, 2021 issued by SEIAA wherein 45 "invalid and defective environmental clearances" for sand blocks situated on river Kiul, Barnar, Jhanji, Ulai and Anjana have been arbitrarily and illegally transferred in favour of Bihar State Mining Corporation Ltd. without following the EIA Notification, September 14, 2006.

The counsel for the state of Bihar requested the NGT for time to file counter affidavit, which the court agreed to.