Rachna Singh | TNN Jaipur: Unregulated legal mining and rampant illegal mining in Rajasthan is systematically destroying forests, devastating the Aravallis, playing havoc with the environment and water resources of the state. But instead of checking it, the state departments of mines and geology and forests have chosen to interpret court judgments to their convenience. Based on a recent survey and according to highly placed sources, rampant mining is going on in Rewasa (Data Ramgarh) reserve forest area in Sikar, where mining operations have reached up to the higher ridge/ peak of the mountain. About 50% mountain is excavated and if not stopped immediately will create a gap in the Aravalli mountain chain of about 10km length that will adversely affect the movement of wildlife in the area and lead to desertification in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. An inspection/verification report of the Union ministry of environment and forest (MOEF) submitted in the Supreme Court states that out of 53 mining leases renewed after 16.02.2002, 52 were on forest land. Out of these, in 43 cases leases were granted by the mining department of Rajasthan after promulgation of the Forest Conservation Act, (FCA) 1980, in clear violation of FCA and without prior approval of MoEF. At that time, officials on inspection had reported that 22 mines were still in operation whereas 31 had stopped work in 2008. A recent survey by the MoEF officials confirms that large-scale mining has resumed in the forest areas of the Aravallis defying the Supreme Court notification and without any environmental clearance, which is mandatory for an area of 5 hectare and above.