Make restoration plans for area ravaged by illegal mining at Nuh in Haryana: SC to CEC
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Joymalya Bagchi asked the state government to extend 'due cooperation" to the apex court-appointed CEC in formulating the restoration plans.
The bench took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, and expressed satisfaction over steps taken so far to remedy the situation.
Advocate Gaurav Bansal represented farmers affected by the illegal mining.
The bench has posted the matter after 12 weeks.
On May 29, the top court came down heavily on the Haryana government for not taking action against mining mafia and its errant officials accused of violating forest laws and facilitating illegal transportation of stones mined from the Aravallis in Nuh to Rajasthan.
It was very critical of the 'evasive' affidavit filed by the chief secretary of Haryana in the matter.
The bench was considering a plea related to construction of an unauthorised 1.5-kilometer road through the protected Aravalli forest land by mining mafia "in collusion with the state government officials" to facilitate illegal transportation of stones mined from the Aravallis in Nuh to Rajasthan.
The CEC had filed a report to this effect.
'From the perusal of the affidavit it is not reflected as to what actions have been taken against the erring officials and the mining mafia who are dishonestly dismantling the hills,' the CJI then said.
The bench subsequently directed the chief secretary to take action against all erring officials and file an affidavit by July 16.
Any further laxity on the part of the government would invite punitive orders from it as permissible under the law, the bench added.
The CEC report, submitted to the apex court on April 15, flagged serious breaches of the Forest Act, 1980, and the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, citing environmental degradation, destruction of wildlife habitat, and administrative inaction.
The road, according to the report, was built using heavy machinery without legal clearances, slicing through notified forest and agricultural land.
The construction, which began in October 2024 and ended in April 2025, disrupted decades-old Aravalli plantations and wildlife corridors, particularly those vital for leopard movement, the report mentioned.
The committee further noted a 'non-cooperative attitude' from senior revenue officials, some of whom allegedly skipped multiple meetings on the issue.
The report hinted at a possible collusion with local "political actors" and mining mafias.
The case stems from a petition filed by residents of Basai Meo village in November last year, alleging that a road illegally constructed through forest and agricultural land was facilitating the transportation of stones mined from the Aravallis in Nuh to Rajasthan via the border village of Biwan.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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