In a first, board set up to crack down on mining in Aravallis

Last Updated31/07/2023

The newly constituted Aravalli Rejuvenation Board has put drones for surveillance and CCTV cameras in sensitive areas to curb illegal mining in the mountain ranges.

It is constituted by the Haryana government to prevent illegal mining in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Nuh and protect the Aravalli hills.
The seven-member board will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner.
It will include a district forest officer, pollution department officer, district revenue department officer, mining officer, Zilla Parishad CEO and another member appointed by the DC.
Objective
- Deal with complaints of illegal mining and their impact on the environment
- Formulate policies for the prevention of mining
- For conservation and management of the Aravalli region
- Plan and implement programmes for integrated environmental management and sustainable development of the range.
- Ensure coordination between administrative agencies
- Spread awareness regarding Aravallis and encourage locals to visit the range.

The Aravallis of Northwestern India, one of the oldest fold mountains of the world, now form residual mountains with an elevation of 300m. to 900m.
They stretch for a distance of 800 km from Himmatnagar in Gujarat to Delhi, spanning Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi.
The mountains are divided into two main ranges viz.
- The Sambhar Sirohi Range
- The Sambhar Khetri Range
The hidden limb of the Aravallis that extends from Delhi to Haridwar creates a divide between the drainage of rivers of the Ganga and the Indus.
The Aravallis date back to millions of years when the pre-Indian subcontinent collided with the mainland Eurasian Plate.