Nuh district sees nine illegal mining cases in 4 months

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

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Chandigarh, February 10

Illegal mining is continuing in the Aravallis as nine on-site cases have been registered in Nuh in the past four months, and 76 cases of transportation of mined material without e-Ravana/valid e-Ravana have been registered in Nuh, Gurugram, and Faridabad.

The government has submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that in the nine cases, the forest, mining and police departments were complainants.

During the period, 44 cases of transportation of material without e-Ravana/valid e-Ravana were detected and a fine of Rs 4.30 lakh was recovered. In 23 cases, tractor trailers were involved. There were 11 cases of a similar nature in Gurugram and a fine of Rs 9.80 lakh was imposed. Also, there were 21 cases related to e-Ravana in Faridabad.

As per the action taken report filed by ACS (Environment Department) Vineet Garg, drone-mapping has been undertaken and CCTV cameras have been put to use by the police. A drone survey is being done once a week, and suspicious places are being verified. Thirteen police checkposts have also been set up.

Joint combing by paramilitary forces and the police was also being done to identify mining-prone areas, added the report. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority had initiated tendering through the GeM portal of the Government of India for the procurement of drone services for the three districts.

The NGT was further informed that a portal — Haryana Mines & Geology Information System — had been made operational by replacing the older e-Rawana system. Registration by all units of contractors/lessees, mineral dealer licence holders, and stone crusher licence holders was in process.

“Now, no e-Ravana is generated to vehicles without being GPS enabled. The development of the mechanism of tracking of these vehicles is in process with the assistance of the Transport Department,” said the report.

The NGT was also told that the draft Standard Operating Procedure for assessment, imposition, and realisation of environmental damage compensation had been prepared, and the Rejuvenation Action Plan for the reclamation of the land illegally mined would be prepared in three months.