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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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LPU students protest over reported rape allegation, police call it rumour

Students at Lovely Professional University protested over a reported rape allegation involving a worker, with police describing the claim as a rumour.

Published

18 hours ago

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September 27, 2026

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Students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab staged a protest after an allegation involving the reported rape of a student by a worker at the university surfaced.

The protest led to disruption around the university, with students taking to the streets and blocking the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway, according to the report.

The allegation triggered anger among students, who demanded action over the reported incident.

Police describe rape claim as rumour

Police, however, described the rape claim as a rumour, indicating that the allegation had not been established as a confirmed incident.

The distinction is important because the reported sexual assault allegation should not be treated as a confirmed rape unless investigators or other authoritative sources establish that fact.

The protests nevertheless continued as students sought clarity and action over the issue.

Protest disrupts traffic

The student demonstration also affected traffic on the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway. The protest brought attention to the allegations and the concerns being raised by students at the university.

With police calling the claim a rumour, further verification and investigation would be necessary to establish what actually happened.

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INDIA bloc likely to meet on September 30 over Gyanesh Kumar row

INDIA bloc parties are likely to meet in New Delhi on September 30 amid growing opposition to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 26, 2026

By

Rahul-Gandhi

Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc are set to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss concerns surrounding the Election Commission, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a proposed removal motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The proposed meeting comes amid growing coordination among opposition parties over the functioning of the poll panel and demands for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The parties are also discussing a possible joint response to the developments.

Why is the INDIA bloc meeting being planned?

The INDIA bloc meeting on September 30 comes amid reports of objections within the Election Commission over certain decisions and orders related to the SIR exercise. 

According to the report, Opposition leaders have been discussing a coordinated response to their concerns over the Election Commission and the electoral-roll revision process. 

The issue is also expected to be discussed at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29, a day before the proposed INDIA bloc meeting.

Gyanesh Kumar removal demand in focus

The demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has become a major point of contention between the Opposition and the Election Commission.

The CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML)-Liberation have demanded Kumar’s removal and an immediate halt to the SIR exercise. Congress has also intensified its criticism of the CEC.

Opposition parties are also working on a fresh removal motion against Gyanesh Kumar. The September 30 meeting is expected to finalise the strategy for the motion, including the collection of signatures. According to the report, this would be the Opposition’s third such attempt. 

What is the SIR controversy?

The political dispute is linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, or SIR.

The controversy intensified following a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several occasions concerning decisions and orders related to the SIR process.

The Election Commission has said that differing views and observations are part of normal deliberations in a multi-member constitutional body. The poll panel has also maintained that its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures, while stating that the final decisions on the SIR were taken unanimously. 

TMC and Left parties coordinate over the issue

The developments have also brought the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) together on the Election Commission issue, despite their political differences in West Bengal.

CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby proposed an immediate meeting to discuss a joint strategy. According to the report, Mamata Banerjee spoke with M A Baby and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, after which the leaders settled on September 30 for the meeting. 

What could be discussed at the September 30 meeting?

The proposed meeting is expected to focus on:

  • Concerns surrounding the Election Commission
  • The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
  • Opposition demands concerning CEC Gyanesh Kumar
  • A possible fresh removal notice against the CEC
  • A coordinated response by INDIA bloc parties

The exact agenda and participation will depend on the discussions among the opposition parties before the proposed meeting.

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“Will die but won’t give up”: Sahil Wakode’s parents urge IIT students to continue fight 

Sahil Wakode’s parents have appealed to IIT Bombay students to continue their fight for justice amid the ongoing investigation into their son’s death.

Published

1 day ago

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September 26, 2026

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Sahil Wakode

The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode have appealed to students to continue raising their voices and fighting for justice following their son’s death.

Sahil Wakode, a second-year student at IIT Bombay, died in his hostel room on September 18. His death has led to student protests and an ongoing investigation by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

What Sahil Wakode’s parents have alleged

Sahil’s parents have alleged that their son faced caste-based discrimination and harassment at IIT Bombay before his death. They have sought action against those they hold responsible and have demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

The family has also called for a CBI inquiry and has sought the arrest of officials named in the case. These remain allegations and are part of the ongoing investigation.

The Mumbai Crime Branch took over the probe after an FIR was registered following the complaint by Sahil’s parents.

IIT Bombay’s position

IIT Bombay has said that Sahil was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.

The institute has maintained that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him. It said the matter had been discussed with him by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

The circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death are being investigated by the appropriate authorities.

Investigation continues

The case remains under investigation, with the Mumbai Crime Branch examining the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death and the allegations made by his family.

His parents have continued to demand justice and action against those they believe were responsible, while the investigation is expected to establish the facts surrounding the case.

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