Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswai today told the state assembly that the government will soon open sand quarries with tighter norms.
He asserted that only the state will run the quarries and sell sand, including imported sand.
He said sand mining was recently banned in the light of Public interest litigation petitions in court and steps were now being taken to open quarries following a judgement in this regard.
Last November, the Madras High Court had directed the state government to halt sand quarrying within six months.
The court had also said that no new mines and quarries should be opened. While a division bench upheld the single judge bench's order in January, the Supreme Court last month stayed that order.
Against this background, Palaniswami, replying to Congress Legislature party leader K R Ramasamy, said it has been decided that only the government will sell sand and "steps are being taken to open quarries."