HOW IT HAPPENED

Once in power, the Yogi government had decided to do away with the mining policy of previous regime and said no to renewal of mining leases. On April 4, 2017, the Yogi cabinet decided to amend the Uttar Pradesh Minor Minerals Rules, 1963, to end the shortage of building material — sand and coarse sand. Amended rules incorporate provision of up to five year of imprisonment and Rs 5 lakh per hectare fine for illegal mining. On April 11, 2017 the state cabinet had approved short term and long term measures that included authorizing DMs to issue e-tenders to allocate up to 10-acre area for sand mining for six months.