Chandigarh, Oct 28: Groundwater reserves in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts face severe depletion as illegal mining and heavy blasting continue to ravage the Aravalli range. Representing local communities, an All India Kisan Sabha delegation met with a Supreme Court-appointed committee during its field inspection in Ramalwas village, calling for an immediate moratorium on illegal operations and the revocation of non-compliant mining leases.
Led by Om Prakash, vice-president of the Kisan Sabha in Bhiwani, representatives maintained that a decade of unchecked extraction has plunged the ecologically sensitive belt into a crisis. Operations in the Dadam area have reportedly reached depths of 800 feet, while excavation in Ramalwas extends to 400 feet, effectively breaching the groundwater table. Local wells have run dry, leaving surrounding farmlands damaged and drinking water sources contaminated.
The Aravalli hills serve as a crucial shield for regional rainfall, biodiversity, and groundwater recharge. Delegation members, including Randhir Kungar, Sumer Sangwan, Jai Singh Sihag, Rajendra Singh Dohki, and CITU leader Kamlesh Bhairavi, declared that the ongoing destruction directly jeopardizes rural livelihoods. They asserted that heavy dust and industrial pollution place residents and workers at risk of contracting silicosis, tuberculosis, and debilitating respiratory ailments.
The Sabha advocated for a scientific environmental audit across the Aravallis alongside an impartial assessment of loss to homes, livestock, and agriculture. They requested free medical treatment, financial rehabilitation for victims of occupational diseases, and strict penalties for defaulting mining operators and negligent regulatory officials. Following the interaction, the four-member expert panel proceeded to Narnaul in Mahendragarh district to continue its assessment.
