Residents of Masuda in Ajmer district of Rajasthan are suffering owing to illegal mining in the Aravalli mountains. India News, the sister organisation of The Daily Guardian, had featured this news on 29 January to bring the matter to the government’s attention.
However, no action has been taken on the matter yet. India News has started a campaign to expose those playing with the lives of people and has reported that continuous explosions are being done in the Aravalli mountains and due to these blasts, large cracks have developed in the houses of the people living nearby. The residents are also suffering from lung diseases. A resident said: “The government officials act arbitrarily and nobody listens to our complaints. We are suffering from respiratory diseases. The dust which blows due to continuous mining gets deposited on the crops and they get ruined. Water crisis is also there owing to diminishing water level.”
The Supreme Court has banned excavation in the Aravallis, in spite of which a company called Shree Cement is doing illegal mining there.
This issue has been raised many times in front of the district administration.
Finally, as an impact of the India News report, SDM Priyanka Badgujar has ordered an inquiry and said that if these allegations are proved, action will be taken against Shree Cement.
“A complaint letter has been received from the local people and the head, in which it has been said that illegal mining has been done by Shree Cement in violation of the rules. I, along with the Tehsildar, went and inspected the spot. Instructions have been given to the mining engineer and Tehsildar to submit a report. Action will be taken against Shree Cement if any violation of rules is found in the report,” the SDM said.