Times of India: Gurugram: Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
There has been a 125% increase in the number of
illegal mining cases in Gurugram in the past one year, revealed the response to
an RTI query.
As many as nine cases of illegal mining were
reported from different parts of the district in 2016-17, as against four cases
filed in the year of 2015-16. Seven illegal mining cases had been reported the
year before, i.e. 2014-15.
Further, while illegal mining had been reported
from Bhondsi, Badshapur, Kherki Dhaula and Farukhnagar during the previous
years, most of the nine cases in 2016-17 were reported from Bhondsi.
According to the RTI reply given in Hindi, a copy
of which is with TOI, Rs 3.25 lakh had been received as fine from nine vehicles
seized between April 2014 and April 2017. Also, Rs 2.38 lakh penalty was
slapped on two individuals/enterprises, who were found to be involved in
illegal mining, during the same period.
"Despite a blanket ban on all kinds of mining
activities imposed by the honourable Supreme Court in 2002, reports of illegal
mining have been coming in from different parts of Gurgaon. Shockingly, there
has been an increase in the number of cases in the last one year, as compared
to the previous area, which suggests mining mafia are only getting stronger in
the area," said Aseem Takyar, who filed the RTI application.
Environment experts, however, claimed that the
reported cases were only the tip of the iceberg. "Mining is still rampant
and loud thunders of dynamite blasts are often heard in the area. We all know
that FIRs are registered only in cases of severe violations. There have been many
complaints by residents and activists that have gone unheard," said
Jitender Bhadana from Save Aravallis, an environmental NGO.
He added that stone crusher units in Faridabad
were one of the main violators and should be shut down to prevent illegal
mining activities.
When asked, district mining officer KS Khatkar
told TOI, "Nine cases in a year is a minuscule figure. Most areas in and
around Gurgaon are now populated and rarely do we hear about mining activities.
Also, most of these nine cases are related to small scale mining operations.
Some people do not know that mining is an offence and it is therefore sometimes
carried out by people unaware of the law. We, however, take strict action
against offenders whenever there is a violation."
The Supreme Court had imposed a complete ban on
all mining activities in the Aravallis, spread across 448 square kilometres in
Gurgaon, Faridabad and Mewat districts of Haryana, in 2002.
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