Stop illegal mining in Shivalik Hills -Legal Notice to Haryana Government.

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Illegal mining in Shivalik hills-Notice to Haryana govt.

Vijay Bansal former President “Shivalik Vikas Manch “has sent a legal notice to Haryana Government to stop illegal mining.Notice has been sent to Additional Chief Secretary Mining and Environment Department, said to conduct geospatial survey of Shivalik hills falling in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts to stop illegal mining and to save the said hills from destruction like Aravalli hills, lmining should be banned within 5 km from their base.

PIL No. 20134/2004 filed by Vijay Bansal has become a landmark judgement which has had a nationwide impact in curbing illegal mining. While visiting the hilly areas in Panchkula, Ambala, Yamuna Nagar districts, Vijay Bansal has observed that the mining mafia is causing irreparable damage to the environment of not only the state but also of northern India by damaging the hillocks situated in the above districts. It is pertinent to mention here that on behalf of Haryana, even the hillocks right behind the building of the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court have not been spared.

Now mining has become a means of earning money and the mining mafia enjoys political and administrative protection, as people close to those in power, be it in politics or administration, have taken over this business, which should be investigated by a retired judge of the Hon’ble High Court.

Vijay Bansal told that this area of Haryana state falls in the seismic zone and was once known for its greenery and wildlife, where the Pandavas spent a year in hiding before winning the Mahabharata. Due to its healthy climate, this area has been like a lung for the entire region including Tri-City Chandigarh till now and mining has brought all of these to the brink of destruction.

The then British government had made the Punjab Land Preservation Act 1900 in the year 1900 on the report of the then Commissioner, Jalandhar Division Jalandhar, which shows the depth of concern of the foreign rulers towards the environment, but our so-called “Swaraj” and citizens are doing exactly the opposite. Along with this, he informed that due to illegal mining in Chandikotla and Sher Gujra, cracks had appeared in the mountains due to which houses broke and the ground, road etc. collapsed and the hills of the area started shaking. After this, Vijay Bansal had filed a PIL, after which the Hon’ble High Court had ordered action.

Print and electronic media have reported extensively about what has happened to the Aravalli Hills, such as “Geospatial survey of Shivalik Hills falling in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamuna Nagar Districts to prevent illegal mining and save the hills from destruction like Aravalli Hills” and further steps to ban all legal and illegal mining within 5 km from the foot of the hills, especially in view of climate change in the interest of environment, as any damage to these hills will cause further damage to other ranges of hills behind these hills and eventually to glaciers at higher altitudes, as these hills help in cooling down the heat waves, which are harmful to glaciers.