Criminal nexus: 2 villages in Aravalli foothills emerge as new sand market

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, May 26

While stone quarrying remains in check in Gurugram, the mining authorities are now on their toes in regard to increased instances of sand and mud mining in Bhondsi and Kadarpur villages in the Aravalli foothills.

Admn orders 24X7 surveillance

• Bhondsi, Kadarpur villages in focus
• Admn also ordered review of all fields selling off mud
• Mining taskforce meeting of admn has ordered round-the-clock surveillance of the area

According to the district administration, areas in these villages have emerged as the major vulnerable hotpots in this regard. The areas have been regularly reporting sand mining and emerging as the new sand market for construction across the NCR. The accused are not just targeting the hill mounds, making these susceptible to landslides, but many farmers of the region are also selling off the mud from their fields.

Sources said currently in the grey market, mud is being sold at Rs 3 lakh per acre and a majority of the farmers are finding it more profitable than letting out their fields for farming.

Taking cognisance of the issue, the monthly mining taskforce meeting of the local administration today ordered round-the-clock surveillance of the area.

“We are identifying all susceptible spots in the district and increasing vigilance. These two areas have been reporting illegal mud mining and now will be on our priority list,” said Dc Nishant Yadav.

The administration also ordered a review of all fields selling off mud. According to officials, in case a farmer wants to dig out his field, he needs a mandatory permit and the digging could not go beyond 5 feet. However, a majority of the farmers indulge in this illegally, leaving acres of land cratered.

The twin villages, which are amongst the biggest in the Aravalli foothills in Gurugram, have long been plagued with illegal mining and sand sale. A network of agents operate here and gather orders from various construction sites from across the NCR and arrange for sand accordingly.

The Mining Department got three FIRs registered in this regard and collected a penalty of over Rs 7 lakh in 20 days in May this year from various defaulters involved in sand or mud mining in the district.

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