The government order of August 29 had empowered the district administration to issue licences for removal and sale of sand accumulated by floods on farmlands. The order stated that sand could be sold in markets after paying royalty to the district administration.

The Samajwadi Party government had faced the ire of environmental activists after the order was issued in the thick of large-scale outrage against illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar. Activists alleged that the state government was facilitating illegal sand removal from floodplains under the garb of this order.

Mining department officials said licences to remove and sell sand accumulated on farmlands will not be issued till the high court issued a final order. "The decision to not issue these licenses has been taken according to high court directions. Any application in this regard will not be entertained till the court vacates the stay," said Anil Kumar Singh, district mining inspector.

Activists had challenged the state government order of August 29 at the National Green Tribunal too. It had been alleged that sand mined illegally, under the cover of removing it from farmlands, would cause adverse impacts on the ecology of rivers besides degrading the environment.

Noida-based NGO, Jan Sashakitkaran, which has filed the case at the green tribunal, had alleged that UP government issued the order to help facilitate the sand mafia in bypassing mandatory clearances.

Mining department officials claimed that not a single license allowing removal of sand from farmlands, on the basis of the August 29 order, has been issued in the district. "The mining department has also not received any fresh application demanding sand mining leases on the Yamuna riverbed," Singh added.