The resumption of sand mining at all the sanctioned ghats in Bihar from October 1 would provide much-needed relief to those who have been affected by the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), according to Janak Ram, Minister of Mines and Geology. Sand would be available at government-determined rates, he added. From July 1 to September 30, sand mining was prohibited in Bihar for three months. The minister told the media that the department was planning to use drone cameras to monitor the mining ghats, but that permission from the government had not yet been granted.