Crackdown on illegal mining in the Aravallis: Cops seize 350 trucks in June

A special enforcement team of the Haryana Police has confiscated 350 vehicles engaged in illegal mining activities in the Nuh and Gurugram districts over the last

A special enforcement team of the Haryana Police has confiscated 350 vehicles engaged in illegal mining activities in the Nuh and Gurugram districts over the last one month. This is a part of a larger crackdown plan of the Haryana Police that was put into effect in December 2019. According to the police, this is the biggest action taken so far against illegal mining groups operating in the two districts over the past two decades.

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According to police officials, during the period of the lockdown, 50 cases were registered against vehicle owners for transporting illegal mining material and a fine of ₹1.5 crore imposed on them.

Although illegal mining operations have been taking place in the Aravallis for over two decades, it was in November 2019 that senior IPS officer Amitabh Singh Dhillon, who was also the director-general of mines and geology department of Haryana, put together an enforcement team to crack down on illegal mining operations in the Aravallis. The state was divided into two parts and two police officials were given charge of each. While assistant commissioner of police(ACP) Rajesh Phogat was given the charge of the Sonepat region, ACP Preet Pal Sangwan was given the task of curbing illegal mining in Gurugram and Nuh.

According to the police, illegal mining is most active in Nuh and Gurugram. The areas that are particularly notorious for illegal mining include villages of Pipaka, Panchgaon, Raina, Tapkan, and Dhulawat villages — all of which fall under the Tauru belt.

In December 2019, Preet Pal Sangwan formed a team of 25 police officers, who were given the task of tracking the movement of vehicles illegally transport mining material from Aravallis to various construction sites and crusher zones in the region. “The teams have increased surveillance in the area and have roped in local informers, who are actively passing information regarding movement of vehicles at night,” he said. The police have also involved forest officials and locals to carry out the mapping of the areas from where the maximum numbers of illegal mining cases are being reported.

The state has so far collected a total fine of ₹29 crore since December 2019. A total of 1,400 vehicles, including tippers, trucks, tractor-trolleys, and earthmovers, have been seized by the police between December 2019 and June 30, 2020. This number also includes 350 vehicles seized in June — the highest so far.

“The National Green Tribunal(NGT) had ordered in 2019 that all vehicles that are confiscated will be released only after recovery of at least 50% of the showroom value of such vehicles. Besides, the confiscated vehicle owner will also have to pay a royalty fee, the value of the mineral loaded on the vehicles, along with ₹10,000 fine before the vehicle can be released,” said Sangwan, adding that the state has been suffering severe revenue losses because of the illegal mining activity in the Aravallis.

The police added during the course of the operation, several police officers have been attacked by truck drivers carrying illegal mining material. Over two dozen cases of attempted murder have been registered against the driver over the last six months.

Sangwan said there have been instances where the drivers have even opened the back of the trucks to unload mining material from moving vehicles on the road to stop the police from chasing them“Recently one of the drivers even turned the dumper turtle due to which a police officer was severely injured and is currently undergoing treatment,” he said.

These vehicles were found transporting a wide range of construction material, including bajri, sand, boulder, gatka, gravel, and other items without obtaining a requisite e-rawaana, or an e-transit pass. Apart from vehicles transporting illegal mining material, earthmovers were found engaged in excavation activities.

Narender Bijarnia, the superintendent of police, Nuh, said they too have formed teams and increased intelligence in the areas where illegal mining is taking place. “We have set up nakas(check posts) and are taking the help of local informers to stop the illegal mining in areas falling under the Tauru region,” he said.