KATHMANDU, July 1: The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed the government’s decision to amend the standard on excavation of stones, pebbles, and sand 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 not to implement its decision to revise the standard on the excavation of stones, sand and pebbles and their sales and distribution.

Although the latest version of the standard is yet to be fully implemented, the amendment to it has the strength to pose a serious threat to the existence of the river system and the issues related to national life. It will cause irreparable damage, the court argued.

The amended standard on excavation would cause irreparable loss to human settlements, international borders, heritages of cultural and religious importance, marshland, and educational and health institutions, the court said.

On behalf of Environment Law Society Nepal, Advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha had filed a writ petition against the amendment to the standard on excavation of sand, pebbles and stones. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has been made the defendant in the case.

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