Haryana to constitute Aravalli rejuvenation board to curb illegal mining

To protect the world’s oldest fold mountain range and rejuvenate its hills, the Haryana government has proposed to set up an Aravalli Rejuvenation Board, which will have a mandate to curb illegal activities such as mining and felling of trees and to take steps that will revive the green cover of the Aravallis.

This was stated in an affidavit submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by Haryana chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on April 12 pursuant to directions by the green court to take steps for integrated environment management and sustainable development of Aravalli hills.

These directions came last October, after hearing a petition by the Aravali Bachao Citizens movement, which claimed that rampant illegal mining was taking place in those hills, thus endangering the eco-sensitive range, which acts as a green lung for the entire National Capital Region.

According to Kaushal’s affidavit, all departments concerned had first met on February 15 and thereafter on April 6 to discuss the directions issued by the green tribunal.It was decided that a statutory authority, named Aravalli Rejuvenation Board, must be constituted for integrated environment management and sustainable development of the Aravalli range.

Further, the chief secretary said in the affidavit,” A proposal has been submitted to the competent authority in the state government for the constitution of the said Board. After approval of the competent authority, the notification with regards to the constitution and mandate of the board is likely to be notified shortly.”

In addition to formation of the board, the affidavit said the government will also constitute a specific cell at the district level for the periodic monitoring of the Aravallis in Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram.

“Necessary instructions for the creation of this special cell, in compliance of the orders of this honourable tribunal, are being issued by the state government shortly,” the chief secretary said.

It may be recalled that on October 10 last year, the NGT had directed the Haryana government to set up a special cell for the protection and management of the Aravallis.

It was the tribunal that asked the government to consider setting up an autonomous statutory authority -- Aravallis Environment Management and Sustainable Development -- for integrated environment management and sustainable development of the Aravalli range.

According to the petition Aravali Bachao Citizens movement, mining was being carried out in 16 locations in the Aravalis and substantial portions of the hills have been eaten into by illegal mining.

A committee formed by the NGT on May 23 last year to look into the matter told the tribunal that it found nine mining sites in Gurugram and Nuh.

In 2009, the Supreme Court banned all forms of mining in the sensitive mountain range, considered to be a rich quarry for construction stones and sand. This, however, failed to stop the miners, and much of the range has withered away under the rakes of the earthmover.

When a comment was sought on the development from the petitioner group, its co-founder Neelam Ahluwalia said the board needs to be composed of at least 50% non-government officials or civil society members for it to be effective.She also said the board needed to look after the Aravallis in all districts and not just Gurugram, Nuh and Faridabad.

“Proposals to use Aravallis as a dumping ground for waste and construction intensive zoo safari projects with the aim to commercialise the Aravallis cannot be approved and sanctioned by such a board. It is critically important that the Haryana government starts using drones to monitor the mountain range and also increase the number of check posts across all Aravalli districts to stop the rampant deforestation, illegal mining and encroachment activities,” she said.

Chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal did not respond to messages and calls seeking a comment on the matter.