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Reply by Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement to the NGT on the protection of Aravalli from illegal sand and stone mining, 28/11/2022

  • 28/11/2022

Reply by Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement to the Joint Committee report dated October 7, 2022 and affidavit of Director of Mines and Geology Department dated October 8, 2022.

The matter related to illegal sand and stone mining taking place in the Aravalli range in the districts of Faridabad, Gurugram and Nuh in Haryana. Pandala Hills near Gairatpur Bas village, Gurgaon has been severely degraded on account of illegal mining, but no steps have been taken for its ecological restoration. Evidence of fresh illegal mining in Pandala Hills was found on a site visit.

On November 6, 2022 the team of the applicant organisation saw illegal mining taking place in the Aravalli area near Tikli village. The same is the case with the Aravalli area near Jalalpur Sohna - site visits conducted near Kharak village found illegal mining activity.

Similarly, during a site visit conducted in March 2022 by Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement in Aravalli near Kota Khandewla village near Manesar Police Lines Complex - illegal stone mining was taking place.

The applicant organisation in its report, November 28, 2022 said that it was incorrect on the part of the Committee to term "illegal stone mining as extraction of ordinary clay".

The applicant organisation informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that illegal sand mining has been documented in new locations like the Aravalli forest area next to Baliawas village. Setting up of an independent Aravalli Protection Authority and promotion of alternative building materials were some of the suggestions of the Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement for protecting Aravalli from illegal sand and stone mining.