Supreme Court issues interim order against govt’s decision to export Chure’s stones, pebbles and sand

KATHMANDU, June 18: The Supreme Court on Friday issued an interim order not to implement the government's decision to export Chure Region’s stones, pebbles and sand.  A Constitutional Bench headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana passed the order in the name of the government not to implement the decision immediately. The government, however, is asked to furnish a written response clarifying why the decision was made.  Hearing on the writ petition registered by senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi and advocate Dr Punya Khatiwada, the bench, comprising justices Dipak Karki, Mira Khadka, Hari Krishna Karki and Bishwambhar Shrestha along with CJ Rana,  ordered the government not to implement 199th point of the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2021/22.  Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel,tabling the annual budget for the new FY on May 29, announced that ‘Mine-bases stones, pebbles and sand, on the basis of environment impact assessment (EIA), will be exported in order to minimize the trade deficit’. The government’s plan, however, has been dragged into controversy as it is ‘sure to be catastrophic for the environment.’