Villagers booked for illegal mining near Nuh-Gurugram border

Varun Singla, Nuh superintendent of police, said they have registered a case in the matter; an investigation is on to identify the suspects

Nuh police on Wednesday registered a case against unidentified persons for their alleged involvement in illegal mining in the Aravallis in Bisar village, on the Nuh-Gurugram border, after environmentalists wrote to forest and mining department highlighting the illegal activity taking place over the past two days and also shared videos and pictures of the site with the police on Tuesday.

The Aravalli hillock in Bisar village from where illegal mining was reported. (HT Photo)

Varun Singla, Nuh superintendent of police, said they have registered a case in the matter; an investigation is on to identify the suspects.

“We have already mapped the villages that are involved in illegal mining and with the help of drones, we are recording the activities. Our special teams are patrolling the district and have identified 98 villages prone to illegal mining,” he said.

Yadav said they are taking strict action against those involved in illegal mining and transporting of stones.

On the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Haryana’s mining department had launched a toll-free number -- 1800-180-5530-- on March 10 where the public at large can report illegal mining activities round the clock.

Nuh-Gurugram mining officer Anil Kumar on Wednesday said on receiving the alert, they conducted a search at the location given by the environmentalists and found trees uprooted without any permission. “The sarpanch (chief) of the village was found constructing and broadening the temporary road leading to the Aravalli hillocks. We are verifying the names and facts based on which we will write to police and take action against the sarpanch and locals involved in illegal mining and felling of trees,” he said.

The NGT in November had directed the Haryana government to set up a control room and notify a phone number on a petition filed by the Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement, which alleged that stones were being cleaved off the hills in 16 locations across Gurugram, Nuh and Faridabad despite a Supreme Court ban on mining in the protected forests.

Environmentalists said massive mining and felling of trees is taking place in the Aravalis and its foothills within the revenue estate of Bisar village since the past two days.

KK Yadav, retired chief town planner of Haryana, and a resident of Manesar, said he wrote to the chief conservator of forests and the mining department regarding the illegal activity in Bisar village but nothing was done to curb these activities. “The locals are involved in illegal mining and they are making a temporary route till the hillocks so that they can easily transport the mined stones to their hideouts for business,” he said.

Yadav said since Monday night, there has been movement of more than 20 earthmovers at night and the freshly dug up patch is evidence of mining taking place despite regular patrolling by police and other agencies. “Maximum work is being undertaken at night with help of earthmovers,” he said.

Vaishali Chandra Rana, a city-based environmentalist, said what was needed was a dedicated Aravallis task force and drone monitoring of the entire Aravallis falling within the districts from where illegal mining was reported. “We have been demanding this since 2018, but nothing has happened. It is very strange that all enforcement agencies are patrolling the hillocks and conducting regular raids and yet, they have never found any illegal mining, but others have,” she said.

Despite repeated calls and messages to district forest officer and chief conservator of forest, they did offer a comment on the matter.