Haryana Enforcement Bureau reviews steps to protect Aravalli range

Haryana Enforcement Bureau officers, on Friday, reviewed the situation in the Aravalli belt, where illegal mining and other violations have continued despite repeated drives.

The meeting of the State Enforcement Bureau was chaired by Additional Director General of Police Navdeep Singh Virk. Officers from Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani attended the meeting.

Virk told officers that the Aravallis were under constant pressure and that the impact was not limited to one or two districts.

“The Aravallis are the lifeline of Haryana. What happens there affects groundwater and the environment across the state. Enforcement has to be continuous,” he said.

Sources said illegal mining was the main issue discussed. Officers said that activity often shifts from one area to another and usually takes place late at night. Because of this, routine inspections do not always work.

Virk asked officers to depend more on local information and field inputs. He said investigation staff should share information quickly with district police and other departments so that action is not delayed.

The ADGP also spoke about other problems in the Aravalli region. These included illegal colonies, unauthorised construction, theft of electricity and water, and the illegal liquor trade.

He said many of these issues develop slowly and are noticed only after damage has already been done, added sources.

Officials also reviewed enforcement figures from the past year. In the Gurugram region, which covers several Aravalli districts, more than 4,500 inspections were carried out to check illegal mining. Over 1,350 vehicles were seized, 536 cases registered and more than 600 people arrested. Penalties of over Rs 10 crore were imposed. A large part of the amount has already been recovered.

Virk said the State Enforcement Bureau would work on improving its own systems. This would include better equipment, training and linking manpower deployment to performance. He also told officers to stay in contact with people living near the Aravalli range. According to him, local residents are often the first to notice illegal activity.

The meeting ended with instructions to keep enforcement efforts steady across districts, instead of short drives that fade after a few weeks.