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Environmental and Legal Prospects ofEnvironmental and Legal Prospects of

Illegal Mining @ Aravalli Range: AnIllegal Mining @ Aravalli Range: An

InsightInsight

DharmDharm Veer SinghVeer Singh KrishnawatKrishnawat (NLU Alumnus), & Dr. Prashant Mehta,(NLU Alumnus), & Dr. Prashant Mehta,

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, National Law University,Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, National Law University,

Jodhpur (Raj.)Jodhpur (Raj.)

Email: [email protected]: [email protected]


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ARAVALLI RANGE: AN INTRODUCTIONARAVALLI RANGE: AN INTRODUCTION

Most distinctive and ancient mountain chain of peninsular India,Most distinctive and ancient mountain chain of peninsular India,mark the site of one of the oldest geological formations in the world.mark the site of one of the oldest geological formations in the world.

Heavily eroded and with exposed outcrops of the slate rock andHeavily eroded and with exposed outcrops of the slate rock andgranite, it has summits reaching 4950 feet above sea level.granite, it has summits reaching 4950 feet above sea level.

Earlier, they were covered with dense forests, with waterfalls andEarlier, they were covered with dense forests, with waterfalls andone could encounter a large number of wild animals.one could encounter a large number of wild animals.

Stand as a natural barrier to theStand as a natural barrier to the TharThar desert from extending into thedesert from extending into theplains.plains.

But today due to the changes in the environment, the situation atBut today due to the changes in the environment, the situation atAravalli are severe.Aravalli are severe.


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HAZARDOUS ACTIVITIES AT ARAVALLISHAZARDOUS ACTIVITIES AT ARAVALLIS

A large number of activities, operations of stone crushers andA large number of activities, operations of stone crushers anddeforestation besides other activities are causing environmentaldeforestation besides other activities are causing environmentaldegradation.degradation.

These mines are usually located in the clusters in remote mineralThese mines are usually located in the clusters in remote mineralrich districts/areas where living standards is tower andrich districts/areas where living standards is tower andunderstanding of people towards environmental impact is also poor.understanding of people towards environmental impact is also poor.

The mine operators took no note of environmental damage.The mine operators took no note of environmental damage.

The mining activities results in disturbance of land surface, alteringThe mining activities results in disturbance of land surface, alteringdrainage pattern and land use, besides the pollution problems,drainage pattern and land use, besides the pollution problems,which may lead to the environmental problems of air, water andwhich may lead to the environmental problems of air, water andnoise pollution and solid waste pollution.noise pollution and solid waste pollution.


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EFFECT OF MINING ON ENVIRONMENTEFFECT OF MINING ON ENVIRONMENT

The mining operation is hazardous in, nature, it impairs ecology andThe mining operation is hazardous in, nature, it impairs ecology and

people's right of natural resources.people's right of natural resources.

The mining brings extensive alteration in the natural tend profile ofThe mining brings extensive alteration in the natural tend profile of

the area.the area.

Mined pits and unattended dumps of overburdened left behindMined pits and unattended dumps of overburdened left behind

during the mining operations are the irreversible consequences ofduring the mining operations are the irreversible consequences of

the mining operations.the mining operations.

Rock blasting, movement of heavy vehicles, movements andRock blasting, movement of heavy vehicles, movements and

operations of mining equipment and machinery cause considerableoperations of mining equipment and machinery cause considerable

pollution in the shape of noise and vibration.pollution in the shape of noise and vibration.

The ambient air in the mining area gets highly polluted by the dust .The ambient air in the mining area gets highly polluted by the dust .


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IMPACT OF MINING ON GROUND WATERIMPACT OF MINING ON GROUND WATER

ItIt hashas beenbeen foundfound thatthat wellswells havehave shownshown anan increaseincrease inin groundwatergroundwaterlevelslevels inin Anangpur,Anangpur, Mangar,Mangar, afterafter thethe miningmining hashas beenbeen stoppedstopped..

InIn spitespite ofof monsoonmonsoon failurefailure andand continuedcontinued abstractionabstraction ofof water,water, thetheobservationobservation wellswells havehave notednoted increasedincreased waterwater levelslevels withinwithin justjust 22monthsmonths ofof thethe miningmining beingbeing closedclosed..

TheThe groundwatergroundwater levelslevels inin aa tubetube wellwell monitoredmonitored inin MewlaMewlaMaharajpurMaharajpur duringduring midmid JulyJuly andand firstfirst weekweek ofof AugustAugust showedshowed aa riseriseofof 00..1818 metres,metres,

AA higherhigher riserise -- 00..7171 toto 00..7878 metresmetres waswas observedobserved inin thethe twotwo tubetubewellswells nearnear thethe MangarMangar minesmines andand PaliPali minesmines inin thethe twotwo monthsmonths sincesincethethe minesmines werewere closedclosed..

ThisThis clearlyclearly pointspoints toto thethe impactimpact ofof miningmining onon groundwatergroundwater reservesreserves..


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HOW MINING AFFECTS GROUND WATERHOW MINING AFFECTS GROUND WATER

DuringDuring Mining,Mining, thethe minedmined waterwater isis notnot beingbeing pumpedpumped intointo abandonedabandoned pitspits totorechargerecharge thethe groundwatergroundwater..

ItIt isis dischargeddischarged intointo thethe surroundingsurrounding nalas,nalas, leadingleading toto wastagewastage ofofgroundwatergroundwater.. For For instance,instance, inin thethe casecase ofof AnangpurAnangpur mines,mines, thethe waterwater waswaspumpedpumped intointo thethe BhuriaBhuria NalaNala andand inin thethe casecase ofof Pali,Pali, thethe groundwatergroundwater waswasdischargeddischarged intointo aa nalanala toto thethe BadkalBadkal lakelake andand fromfrom MangerManger minemine towardstowardsDhaujDhauj lakelake causingcausing enormousenormous losseslosses toto groundwatergroundwater resourcesresources ofof thethe areaarea..

TheThe minedmined waterwater isis alsoalso fullfull ofof silt,silt, whichwhich reducesreduces rechargerecharge asas wellwell..

DuringDuring thethe dewateringdewatering ofof minesmines therethere waswas declinedecline inin groundground waterwater levelslevelsandand reductionreduction inin dischargedischarge inin surroundingsurrounding wellswells whereaswhereas afterafter stoppagestoppage ofofpumpingpumping thethe riserise inin waterwater levelslevels andand increaseincrease inin dischargedischarge hashas beenbeenreportedreported..


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IMPACT OF MINING IN & AROUND ARAVALLIIMPACT OF MINING IN & AROUND ARAVALLI

TheThe miningmining ofof silicasilica sandsand waswas mainlymainly carriedcarried outout belowbelow waterwater tabletable bybydewateringdewatering thethe minesmines..

TheThe formationsformations inin thethe AravalliAravalli hillshills areare highlyhighly fractured,fractured, jointedjointed andand weatheredweatheredmakingmaking itit thethe majormajor rechargerecharge zonezone forfor thethe surroundingsurrounding areasareas..

TheThe pumpingpumping ofof groundground waterwater duringduring miningmining ofof SilicaSilica sandsand affectsaffects groundgroundwaterwater regimeregime ofof surroundingsurrounding areaarea..

DueDue toto thethe dewateringdewatering ofof minesmines therethere waswas declinedecline inin groundground waterwater levelslevels andand

reductionreduction inin dischargedischarge inin surroundingsurrounding wellswells whereaswhereas afterafter stoppagestoppage ofofpumpingpumping thethe riserise inin waterwater levelslevels andand increaseincrease inin dischargedischarge hashas beenbeen reportedreported..


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TheThe drainagedrainage patternpattern ofof thethe areaarea hashas beenbeen modifiedmodified duedue totohaphazardhaphazard miningmining andand dumpingdumping ofof wastewaste materialmaterial whichwhich hashasbearingbearing onon naturalnatural pathpath ofof groundground waterwater flowflow inin thethe areaarea..

AllAll thethe groundground waterwater pumpedpumped outout fromfrom thethe minemine hashas notnot beenbeen putputintointo abandonedabandoned adjoiningadjoining pitspits resultingresulting inin wastagewastage ofof groundgroundwaterwater byby dischargedischarge intointo NalasNalas..

CentralCentral GroundGround WaterWater BoardBoard havehave revealedrevealed thatthat thethe waterwater levelslevelsinin FaridabadFaridabad newnew town,town, whichwhich fallsfalls inin bufferbuffer zonezone ofof minemine area,area,

havehave declineddeclined byby 11..4444 m/yearm/year..

Thus,Thus, dewateringdewatering ofof minesmines inin AravalliAravalli hillshills hashas affectedaffected groundgroundwaterwater regimeregime ofof thethe minemine areaarea asas wellwell asas bufferbuffer zonezone resultingresulting inindepletiondepletion ofof groundground waterwater resourcesresources..

IMPACT OF MINING IN & AROUND ARAVALLIIMPACT OF MINING IN & AROUND ARAVALLI


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JUDICIAL ACTIVISM ON MINING ISSUEJUDICIAL ACTIVISM ON MINING ISSUE

TheThe ApexApex CourtCourt bannedbanned miningmining onon MayMay 66,, 20022002,, inin AravalliAravalli RangesRangesafterafter itit foundfound thatthat illegalillegal miningmining waswas goinggoing inin thethe rangerange damagingdamaging thetheecologyecology ofof thethe areaarea..

SimilarSimilar standstand waswas takentaken byby HonbleHonble CourtCourt when,when, voicevoice waswas againagain raisedraised

onon thethe similarsimilar issue,issue, andand itit waswas prayedprayed bybyD

elhiD

elhi RidgeRidge ManagementManagementBoardBoard toto stopstop allall miningmining activitiesactivities andand pumpingpumping ofof groundground waterwater inin andandfromfrom areaarea uptoupto 55 kmskms fromfrom DelhiDelhi--HaryanaHaryana borderborder inin thethe HaryanaHaryana sideside ofofthethe RidgeRidge..

InIn MayMay 19921992,, partsparts ofof thethe AravalliAravalli rangerange werewere declareddeclared ecologicallyecologicallysensitivesensitive underunder thethe EnvironmentEnvironment (Protection)(Protection) ActAct..

InIn AugustAugust 19921992,, thethe ForestForest DepartmentDepartment ofof HaryanaHaryana hadhad issuedissued aanotificationnotification underunder thethe PunjabPunjab LandLand PreservationPreservation ActAct 19001900,, banningbanning thetheclearingclearing andand breakingbreaking upup thethe landland notnot underunder cultivation,cultivation, quarryingquarrying ofof

stone,stone, inin thethe BadkalBadkal andand PaliPali areaarea..


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InIn 19961996,, thethe Hon'bleHon'ble SupremeSupreme CourtCourt bannedbanned allall miningmining activityactivity withinwithin 22 kmskmsofof thethe BadkalBadkal andand SurajkundSurajkund touristtourist resortsresorts..

itit waswas alsoalso orderedordered thatthat miningmining leasesleases withinwithin thethe areaarea fromfrom 22 kmkm toto 55 kmkmradiusradius shouldshould notnot bebe renewedrenewed withoutwithout obtainingobtaining nono--objectionobjection certificatescertificates

fromfrom thethe HaryanaHaryana PollutionPollution ControlControl BoardBoard asas alsoalso thethe CentralCentral PollutionPollutionControlControl BoardBoard (CPCB)(CPCB)..

MiningMining inin thethe 22--55 kmskms waswas allowedallowed underunder conditioncondition thatthat therethere wouldwould bebe strictstrictadherenceadherence toto thethe environmentenvironment managementmanagement planplan laidlaid downdown byby thethe NEERINEERI..

CentralCentral PollutionPollution ControlControl BoardBoard had,had, inin itsits reportreport toto thethe Hon'bleHon'ble CourtCourt inin19961996 statedstated thatthat thethe "deep"deep miningmining forfor silicasilica isis causingcausing anan ecologicalecologicaldisaster,disaster, andand recommendedrecommended thatthat thethe miningmining activityactivity "should"should bebe stoppedstoppedwithinwithin aa radiusradius ofof 55 kmskms fromfrom BadkalBadkal andand SurajkundSurajkund..

JUDICIAL ACTIVISM ON MINING ISSUEJUDICIAL ACTIVISM ON MINING ISSUE


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CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

TheThe--naturalnatural sourcessources ofof air,air, waterwater andand soilsoil cannotcannot bebe utilizedutilized ifif thethe utilizationutilizationresultsresults inin irreversibleirreversible damagedamage toto environmentsenvironments..

TheThe rightright toto livelive isis aa fundamentalfundamental rightright underunder ArticleArticle 2121 of of thethe ConstitutionConstitution

andand itit includesincludes thethe rightright toto ofof enjoymentenjoyment ofof pollutionpollution--freefree waterwater andand airair forfor fullfullenjoymentenjoyment ofof lifelife.. Life,Life, publicpublic healthhealth andand ecologyecology havehave prioritypriority overoverunemploymentunemployment andand lossloss ofof revenuerevenue..

TheThe definitiondefinition ofof 'sustainable'sustainable developmentdevelopment stillstill holdsholds goodgood.. TheThedevelopmentdevelopment andand thethe protection,protection, ofof environments,environments, areare notnot enemiesenemies..

TheThe situationsituation warrantswarrants closercloser looklook onon variousvarious componentscomponents ofof thethe systemssystemsaffectingaffecting thethe environmentalenvironmental attributesattributes inin thethe area,area, devisingdevising pragmaticpragmaticapproachesapproaches toto facilitatefacilitate ecoeco--restorationrestoration ofof thethe AravalliAravalli hillshills..


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SUGGESTIONSSUGGESTIONS

The ban on the mining activities and pumping of ground water inThe ban on the mining activities and pumping of ground water inand from an area upto 5 kms. from the Delhiand from an area upto 5 kms. from the Delhi--Haryana border inHaryana border inthe Haryana side of the ridge and also in the Aravalli Hill must bethe Haryana side of the ridge and also in the Aravalli Hill must bemaintained.maintained.

A regulatory authority should be constituted who will decideA regulatory authority should be constituted who will decidewhether the permission can at all be granted for carrying onwhether the permission can at all be granted for carrying onmining activity.mining activity.

If without degrading the environment or minimizing adverseIf without degrading the environment or minimizing adverse

effects thereupon by applying stringent safeguards, it is possibleeffects thereupon by applying stringent safeguards, it is possibleto carry on development activity applying the principles ofto carry on development activity applying the principles ofsustainable development, in that eventuality, the development hassustainable development, in that eventuality, the development hasto go on.to go on.

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