The Supreme Court of India has strongly criticized the Haryana government for its failure to take action against illegal mining activities in the Aravalli hills, particularly in the Nuh district. The court highlighted that the mining mafia in the region appears to be powerful enough to protect not only its members but also state officials who have allegedly colluded with them. Chief Justice B.R. Gavai remarked that the mafia’s influence seems to extend to shielding erring officers, as noted in the court’s observations.

The case centers around the construction of an unauthorized 1.5-kilometer road through protected Aravalli forest land in Nuh. This road, built by the mining mafia in collusion with state officials, facilitated the illegal transportation of stones mined from the Aravallis to Rajasthan. The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) submitted photographic and video evidence to the court, refuting claims made by Haryana’s Chief Secretary that the forest department was solely responsible for the road’s construction. The CEC emphasized the need for penal actions against responsible officials and requested a detailed response from the Chief Secretary within 15 days. T

In response to the court’s directives, the Haryana Chief Secretary has been ordered to file a fresh affidavit by July 16, detailing actions taken against all involved officials. The court’s intervention underscores the urgency of addressing illegal mining and its detrimental impact on the Aravalli ecosystem.

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