Haryana government sets up mining unit in Nuh
The new mining office, sanctioned by the state government, will have an assistant mining engineer, four additional mining guards and a data entry operator
Nuh: The Haryana government has set up a dedicated mining unit in Nuh district, after nearly two decades of persistent demands and alleged administrative inaction. The unit, which will operate under the state’s Mines and Geology department, is being seen as a crucial intervention to curb the deep-rooted network of illegal mining in the region, officials said.
The new mining office, sanctioned by the state government, will have an assistant mining engineer, four additional mining guards and a data entry operator. These officials have been transferred from Gurugram, Rewari, and Bhiwani districts to reinforce the monitoring mechanism in Nuh, which, until now, operated with only three mining guards for the entire district.
The move comes in the backdrop of growing pressure on authorities to curb illegal stone quarrying in Nuh, especially along the Aravalli-Rajasthan border, where stones are illegally extracted and smuggled despite a Supreme Court ban on mining in the Aravallis since 2009.
According to official records, enforcement agencies in Nuh have registered 31 FIRs related to illegal mining over the past three months, while fines amounting to ₹14.3 lakh have been imposed on violators. Authorities have seized 59 trucks allegedly involved in illegal mining activities, with additional penalties imposed for overloading and illegal storage of mined material.
District officials confirmed that forest teams have also begun reclaiming roads illegally carved out from the Aravalli terrain to facilitate transportation of stolen minerals. These roads, constructed deep inside the forest in violation of ecological norms, are now being dismantled to prevent further exploitation.
Nuh deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena said the new mining unit is a long-overdue step that will finally equip the district with resources to curb large-scale violations. “Illegal mining in the Aravallis has been a persistent challenge for years due to the shortage of manpower. The new unit will significantly strengthen our monitoring and enforcement capacity in Nuh,” Meena said.
Despite repeated crackdowns, illegal quarrying remains a major concern across the Aravallis, threatening not only the fragile ecosystem but also groundwater reserves and forest cover. Environmentalists have long flagged the region as a hotspot for organised mining mafia, whose operations stretch across state borders.
Officials say the government’s latest initiative reflects a renewed commitment to protecting the Aravallis, considered one of the last remaining natural barriers against desertification and environmental degradation in southern Haryana. The coming weeks are expected to see heightened enforcement action as authorities push to dismantle illegal mining networks and restore the ecological balance in the region.
