GURGAON | Jan 12, 2017: The Supreme Court's ban on mining notwithstanding, illegal mining activities have been reported in the Aravalis in the last month and a half, near Raiseena village on Gurgaon's border with Mewat district.

TOI visited the area and found the mining mafia is operating in at least two live mines on Raiseena's border with Mewat. Tyre marks of earth movers can be spotted all across the area.

Besides, evidence of massive destruction of forest cover is clearly visible on Google Images. The area had dense green cover in 2013, but images taken in 2014 and 2015 show clear destruction of the green cover and signs of mining, which coincide with the emergence of the mining mafia, according to locals. Google Images from November 2016 show rapid expansion of the area being mined.

Officials accepted that some reports of illegal mining have been recorded in the area and two FIRs were also lodged in the last one and a half months, by Bhondsi police station. "We caught a tractor carrying stone near Raiseena, which claimed to have come from Mewat. We immediately reported it to police and two FIRs were lodged," said district mining officer K S Khatkar. He continued, "One person was also arrested," adding that four mining inspectors in his team regularly carry out inspections in the area. "We focus mainly on Mewat, as there's not much mining in Gurgaon. However, we've recently got a few reports from the area surrounding Raiseena bordering Mewat," he further said.

Villagers said the mining mafia has become active in the last six months, and that at least 100 truckloads of stones are mined each week. "Earth movers regularly enter the area late in the night. They dig up the ground so indiscriminately, it becomes difficult for vehicles to approach the mines.Illegal mining is becoming a source of income and employment for local people. So some of them help the mafia," said a villager, requesting anonymity.

The illegal activity violates the Supreme Court judgement, which suspended all mining operations in the Aravalis in Haryana, within the districts of Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mewat, covering an area of approximately 448 sq km.

Rich in minerals such as red sand, silica and quartz, the Aravali range has long been considered a treasure trove for mining mafia. "What attracts the illegal miners to Gurgaon is the easy availability of materials close to construction sites. They save on cost by supplying raw materials for construction from the nearby hills. Raiseena village, in particular, is fast becoming a hub for illegal farmhouse construction and mining," said environmental analyst Chetan Agarwal.

Deputy commissioner T L Satyaprakash said, "The reports are mostly from Mewat. This makes it difficult for Gurgaon administration to intervene."

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)