Rajasthan shuts six illegal pathways in Aravallis; CM writes to Haryana

The Rajasthan Government has ordered the closure of six roads being constructed illegally by the mining mafia in the Aravallis to connect Haryana.

State Chief Minister Bhajan Lal has ordered an inquiry and initiated a crackdown after reports emerged of hills being removed and trees felled illegally to carve out pathways to ferry mined resources between the two states.

Bhajan Lal has further written to his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini highlighting the menace involving the mining mafia operating from Rajasthan.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal mining and undertaken several measures to counter this. There are reports of the mining mafia making illegal roads between Rajasthan and Haryana. These are being used to transport illegally mined resources. This is not possible without active connivance of local authorities. We are probing this and will take penal action against those found involved,” said the Rajasthan CM and added that the authorities had been asked to shut such roads on their side.

“We have alerted Haryana for proper action in this regard,” said the CM, while addressing officials in Deeg district through video conferencing.

A joint team of the police and Deeg administration later initiated action on at least six illegal roads connecting Haryana. Raids were being conducted to arrest the accused and FIRs registered by the police.

Among the “illegal pathways” is a 6-km stretch connecting Pahadi village in Deeg to Ferozepur Jhirka in Nuh district of Haryana.

Four more 6-km roads — from Nangal (Rajasthan) to Basai (Haryana), Chhapra (Rajasthan) to Basai, Vijasana (Rajasthan) to Ghata Shamshabad (Haryana) and Dahrali (Rajasthan) to Basai — were built to connect the mining zone in the hilly area of Rajasthan with Ferozepur Jhirka.

The forest department alleged that the khasra number was changed by a consolidation officer and sarpanch to get the pathways legalised.

The department had imposed a fine of Rs 99 lakh on the officer and Rs 31 lakh on the sarpanch.

After the fines went unpaid, a case was filed in the Ferozepur Jhirka court and environmentalists moved the National Green Tribunal.

The mining mafia continues to thrive on the Haryana-Rajasthan border as enforcement has taken a backseat. Both states continue to pass the buck citing confusion over territorial limits in the Aravallis. In the past, miners have blasted entire hills, leading to FIRs but no concrete action has been taken.

Both states have held numerous coordination meetings for joint operations, but to no avail.