Nuh police block illegal Aravalli routes used for stone theft in drive

Teams used drones to identify unauthorised access paths near Gujar Nangla and Sheikhpur before deploying earthmoving machines to dig trenches and block entry points.

The Nuh police on Monday carried out a joint enforcement drive in the Ferozepur Jhirka area, blocking unauthorised routes allegedly used for stone theft in violation of environmental regulations from the protected hill range.

Officials said the action followed complaints about stone extraction in violation of Supreme Court orders banning illegal mining in the protected Aravalli range. (HT)

The drive was conducted by the Ferozepur Jhirka Sadar police station team along with the AVT staff, targeting illegal pathways in the Aravalli hills near Gujar Nangla and Sheikhpur villages, said officials.

According to police, the team first used drones to carry out an aerial inspection and identify routes being used by those involved in stone theft. After confirming the presence of unauthorised access paths in the hills, the police moved in with earthmoving machines to block the routes.

The machines were used to dig deep trenches and cut off illegal tracks leading into the hills, blocking vehicles’ path to access the area for illegal mining or transportation of stones.

Station house officer (SHO) Subhash Chand, who led the operation, said the police had been receiving complaints about stone theft from Aravalli hills in the region.

“Police were receiving information that some people were secretly extracting stones from Aravalli hills in Sheikhpur and Gujar Nangla areas, in violation of the Supreme Court’s orders banning illegal mining activities in the region. Acting on these complaints, a joint operation was launched to block the illegal routes,” Chand said.

Officials said the operation is part of a broader effort to strengthen surveillance in environmentally sensitive areas and prevent activities that damage the Aravalli ecosystem.

Further, police have warned that illegal mining or stone theft will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in such activities.

Nuh officials said that regular monitoring of the area will continue, including the use of drone surveillance and patrol teams, to ensure that the blocked routes are not reopened and no fresh illegal pathways are created.