Nuh gets dedicated mining unit, four illegal roads shut down
After nearly two decades of appeals, Nuh district — one of the worst-affected regions by illegal mining in Haryana — has finally got a dedicated mining unit. Simultaneously, the local administration has ordered the closure of four roads allegedly constructed by illegal miners and wrongly regularised under the consolidation process.
The twin measures, authorities say, are aimed at curbing rampant illegal mining in the Aravalli hills.
“We had long been seeking a dedicated unit for a district which is worst impacted by mining. It has been approved,” said Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena.
“Similarly, to uproot any possibility of mining mafia sneaking into Nuh and quarrying stones, we have cancelled roads regularised under the Consolidation Act,” he added.
The Mines & Geology Department has begun the posting and transfer of officers to staff the new unit. It will include a mining officer, an assistant mining engineer, four additional mining guards and a data entry operator.
Until now, Nuh fell under the Gurugram mining circle and had just three mining guards and one officer for a vast and porous mining zone spread across districts. Officers for the new setup are being deputed from Gurugram, Rewari and Bhiwani.
In a related development, the DC’s court took suo motu cognisance and ordered compensation to farmers in Basai Meo village whose standing crops were damaged due to the construction of illegal roads by miners. The court found evidence of collusion by the former sarpanch and recommended disciplinary action against the then District Revenue and Consolidation Officer.
The roads were cancelled and compensation is to be recovered from the erring officials.
Despite repeated bans, illegal mining continues to plague Nuh’s Aravallis. The issue drew national outrage in 2022, when a Haryana Police DSP was murdered while attempting to stop a truck carrying illegally mined stones. The state adopted a zero-tolerance policy, which saw temporary success, but illegal mining resurged in 2024, with miners now allegedly blasting hills and building illegal roads with support from some locals and officials.
The Supreme Court recently pulled up the Haryana Government for failing to control the illegal activity. In the past three months, the administration has registered 31 FIRs, seized 59 trucks, penalised 31 overloaded vehicles, booked three individuals for illegal mining and collected fines totaling Rs 14.3 lakh, including Rs 8.6 lakh for mining violations and Rs 5.7 lakh for illegal storage of mined stock.
Haryana Tribune