Crackdown in Nuh as illegal waste fires scorch Aravallis near Khori Kala

Environmentalists warn that these recurring fires pose a serious threat to the ecosystem, with potential consequences including biodiversity loss

Authorities in Haryana’s Nuh district have intensified crackdowns around Khori Kala village as illegal dumping and burning of industrial waste continue to threaten the fragile Aravalli ecosystem. Multiple FIRs have been registered, two tractors seized, and the local sarpanch served a notice for alleged negligence, officials said.

The latest incident took place on Tuesday night, when unidentified individuals allegedly set fire to garbage dumped in a forested zone near the village. (HT PHOTO)

The latest incident took place on Tuesday night, when unidentified individuals allegedly set fire to garbage dumped in a forested zone near the village, officials said. When a team led by Tauru sub-divisional magistrate Sanjeev Kumar visited the site on Wednesday morning, the fire was still smouldering and had to be doused by fire brigade officials.

“The repeated incidents of waste burning are causing irreparable damage to the Aravalli forest and wildlife,” Kumar said. “We have issued a notice to the Gram Panchayat and ordered deployment of night patrols.”

In a police complaint filed by the forest department, Khori Kala residents Mamman Khan, Tayyab, Abbas, and Atti were named as key suspects. The department alleged that the accused had been dumping garbage in the forest and setting it on fire. A case has been registered at Sadar Tauru police station under relevant environmental protection and penal provisions, and investigations are under way.

This is not the first such incident. A fire reported on May 2–3 also led to an FIR, based on a complaint by forest ranger Anup Singh. The FIR alleged that four individuals had segregated and burnt waste on approximately half an acre of dense forest land. It invoked Sections 223(b) and 326(f) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

A subsequent inquiry by a five-member committee, set up by the district administration, confirmed that industrial waste was being transported from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan and dumped near Khori Kala. Authorities seized two tractors allegedly involved in the operation.

Nuh deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena directed the Forest Department to file FIRs against the accused within 15 days. “We are committed to protecting the ecological integrity of the Aravallis. No one will be allowed to pollute or destroy this fragile zone,” Meena said. “We have directed forest, police, and pollution control authorities to step up joint enforcement in hotspot areas.”

This crackdown follows repeated reports of environmental degradation in Khori Kala, with HT having highlighted the issue in January, April, and most recently on Tuesday.

Environmentalists warn that these recurring fires pose a serious threat to the ecosystem, with potential consequences including biodiversity loss, soil toxicity, and groundwater contamination. Advocate Haseen Khan, a resident of Khori village in Tauru who first raised the alarm on social media, said, “The illegal dumping and burning of waste in Khori Kala is nothing short of an ecological crime committed in broad daylight. The Aravallis are already reeling under relentless pressure from illegal mining, encroachments, and unregulated construction. Setting fire to forest land is a final, brazen assault. What we need is real-time surveillance, swift sealing of violators' properties, and strict legal action. Anything less would be a grave injustice to Haryana’s natural heritage.”

In response, authorities claim that they adopted a zero-tolerance policy and vowed to seal illegal scrapyards operating near the Aravalli buffer.

More enforcement action, including arrests and heightened surveillance, is expected in the coming weeks, officials aware of the development said.