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31 hills of Aravalli range gone, SC gives Rajasthan Govt 48 hours to stop illegal mining

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8 years ago

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31 hills of Aravalli range gone, SC gives Rajasthan Govt 48 hours to stop illegal mining

Ravaged hillsides, slashed and hacked into ugly outcrops of rocks cut open are a common sight while driving through Rajasthan.

In fact, 31 hills in the Aravalli range of the state have “vanished” altogether, a fact that shocked the Supreme Court (SC) when it was hearing a matter related to illegal mining activities in the hill range on Tuesday, October 23.

It prompted the top court to order the Rajasthan Government to stop illegal mining in the 115.34-hectare area there within 48 hours.

While the case was about illegal mining, the counsel for Rajasthan government came up with the argument of royalty that the state government earned from mining.

The SC court said though Rajasthan was earning a royalty of around Rs 5,000 crore from mining activities in Aravalli, it cannot endanger the lives of lakhs of people in Delhi as the disappearance of hills there could be one of reasons for rise in pollution level in the national capital region (NCR).

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta referred to the status report filed by Rajasthan government and said it indicated that illegal mining activity was going on in 115.34 hectare area in Aravalli range in the state.

It also referred to a report of the central empowered committee (CEC) which had said that out of 128 samples taken by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), as many as 31 hills or hillocks have vanished.

“31 hills or hillocks have disappeared. If hills will disappear in the country, what will happen? Have people become ‘Hanuman’ that they are running away with hills?” Justice Lokur asked the counsel appearing for Rajasthan, according to a report in The Indian Express (IE).

“15-20 per cent hills have vanished in the state of Rajasthan. This is your ground truth. Whom you want to take for a ride?” the bench asked, adding that the state has failed to protect the Aravalli range from illegal mining, the IE reported.

The top court said that it was compelled to pass an order to stop illegal mining activities in 115.34-hectare area there within 48 hours as it appeared that the state has taken the issue “very lightly”.

It directed the chief secretary of Rajasthan to file an affidavit regarding compliance of its order within this week and posted the matter for hearing on Monday, October 29.

The bench said that it was “not at all satisfied” with the contents of status report filed by the state as it mostly deals with the “so called incompetence” of the FSI.

It said that state of Rajasthan must appreciate that FSI was a body of Government of India and it would not be proper to made “wild allegations” against them.

During the hearing, the bench asked the state’s counsel as to what steps have been taken by them to stop illegal mining activity in Aravalli area.

“We have issued show cause notices and FIRs have also been registered (in cases of illegal mining),” the counsel said.

“If you start removing all the hills, pollution from different parts of areas nearby NCR will come to Delhi. This could be one of the reasons that we have so much pollution in Delhi. For sake of few miners in your state, you are endangering the lives of lakhs of people in Delhi,” the bench said.

When the top court was told that Rajasthan was getting a royalty of around Rs 5,000 crore from mining activities, said the IE report, the bench said, “You (state) want royalty. You will get it but health expenses for people of Delhi will be 10 times of your royalty.”

The state’s counsel told the court that all the concerned government departments in Rajasthan were “on the job” to stop illegal mining.

To this, the bench said, “What kind of job? Damage has already been done to Delhi. You have not disputed the view of CEC that 31 hills or hillocks have disappeared”.

“You give this Rs 5,000 crore (royalty) for health of people of Delhi. Hospitals in Delhi are overcrowded, people are dying here,” the bench said, according to the IE report.

The counsel appearing for the CEC said that court must take the drastic step of stopping mining activities in Aravalli as the state would not take any action against them.

“It is completely a hopeless cause. If the government permits illegality to go on, what can anybody do then,” the bench said, adding, “it is completely beyond control”.

The court said it was not clear from status report filed by the state in September this year as to whether illegal mining in 115.34 hectares have stopped.

“We are giving you 48 hours to close these mines,” the bench told the state’s counsel.

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

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August 16, 2026

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Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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India News

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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