Media reports say that the cost of sand has hit an all-time high in Tamil Nadu after sand mining was stopped in 19 quarries in Trichy and Thanjavur from November 18. These were the only quarries in the state where mining was on. The shortage of sand has severely hit housing and infrastructure projects in the state, industry sources said. On November 19, two units of sand (a truckload) cost Rs 30,000 in Chennai as against Rs 15,000 last week. The Tamil Nadu government has banned sand mining in Kancheepuram district in the wake of rampant illegal operations on the Palar river bed.