JAISALMER: The interim order of the Rajasthan High Court banning all mining activities near the IAF stations in western Rajasthan has come as a big relief to the Air Force. Though mining continued for two or three more days after the order, the mining department and police stepped in to stop the work.

With mining coming to a standstill, there is a shortage of yellow stone and its prices have escalated. Illegal mining within 900 metres near the Uttarlai airport in Jaisalmer and Barmer along with the blasts in these mines were also causing damage to the air bases. In this regard, on March 8, the then IAF station commander wrote a letter to the district administration expressing concern over illegal mining and requested to stop the same.

Sabal Singh, a resident of Badoda village in Jaisalmer, filed a writ petition in the high court, requesting to stop all the mining works within the limits of 900 metres of the radar area of the Air Force for security reasons. The court on Wednesday gave an interim order directing to stop all mining works within the same limits.

A bench of Chief Justice Arun Kumar Mishra and Justice Kailash Chand Joshi in their orders said that if mining takes place, then the principal secretary of mining department will be responsible.

A senior Air Force officer said they were keeping an eye on mining activities in their area and there was no information about anything as yet.

On the other hand, even after three days of orders, mining work continued near the IAF station, which was later stopped by the mine department. Confirming this, mine department official Ramrakh Meghwal said that after the court's order, all mining activities were stopped although there was information about a few mining activities going on, those were also stopped. He said with the closing of mining activities, the department is suffering a revenue loss and a contract of Rs 2 crore was to be given, which has been postponed.

Superintendent of police Mamta Vishnoi said that the mines department has been told to keep a watch on the prohibited area and if any activity is noticed, then the department should immediately inform the police.

She said that a police team is regularly patrolling the area.

District collector Mahaveer Prasad Swami said that the mines department has been directed to deploy their employees along with the tehsildar to ensure that mining takes place.

On the other hand, the mines department has caught a few tractor trolleys carrying stones. After closing down the mining activities, the shortage of stone has increased and there is an increase in the price of yellow stones. A large number of labourers working in mining works have become unemployed.