Nuh Cops on High Alert After Alleged Blast by Mining Mafia

The Officials Said That There Is No Evidence of Illegal Mining in Haryana's Jurisdiction

- Rezaul H Laskar

GURUGRAM: The Nuh police have been placed on high alert following a blast in Rava village on the Haryana-Rajasthan border, where the mining mafia allegedly detonated a hillock in the protected Aravalli range on December 17.

Officials said explosives were used to dismantle the hillock, raising concerns about illegal mining activities in the ecologically sensitive region. According to the superintendent of police (SP), Vijay Pratap Singh, a case was registered on December 23 by the Haryana State Mining Department under sections 21(1) and 303(2) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

"Initial investigations suggest leaseholders from Rajasthan were responsible for the blast, and there is no evidence of illegal mining in Haryana's jurisdiction," Singh added.

Singh noted that confusion arises due to unclear demarcation of the area, which should have been reported earlier by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and mining department.

The authorities discovered that nearly 6,000 metric tonnes of stone had been extracted from an area measuring 200 metres by 10 metres and 2 metres deep.

Singh said, "We have intensified surveillance, deploying night patrolling teams, capturing photographic evidence, and video recording suspected sites twice a day to prevent further unauthorised activities."

Police said the investigation was prompted by a site inspection conducted by district mining officer Anil Kumar, mining inspector Bhanu Pratap Singh, and mining guard Rakesh Kumar on December 16-17 of last year.

Kumar, meanwhile, said that the excavated area was linked to license holders from Rajasthan's Nangla village, Tehsil Pahari, in Deeg. The operators allegedly encroached on Haryana's territory for unauthorised mining.