Over 7,000 illegal mining cases reported in Rajasthan over seven years
Rajasthan: Rajasthan has reported more than 7,000 FIRs related to illegal mining activities over the past seven years, with a large share of these cases coming from districts in the Aravalli region, according to official data.
According to a report published by The Indian Express on Friday, between 2018 and 2025, a total of 7,173 FIRs were registered across the state for illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals. Of these, 4,181 cases were recorded in districts located in the Aravalli belt.
During the same period, authorities documented 71,322 instances of illegal mining activity, including both major and minor violations. Around 40,175 of these incidents were reported from the Aravalli districts alone.
Contrasting figures from the five-year Congress rule with two years of the BJP government, the latter’s spokesperson and former three-term MLA Ramlal Sharma reportedly said, “It is the clear intention of the Rajasthan government and the chief minister that not a single stone will be damaged in Aravalli.” He said that the BJP government has taken decisive action “against illegal mining, and mining mafia in the last two years.”
Data comparing the previous Congress government and the current BJP administration shows that 29,209 illegal mining incidents were reported in Aravalli districts during the five-year Congress rule, while 10,966 cases were recorded in the first two years of the BJP government. Similarly, 3,179 FIRs were filed in the Aravalli region during the Congress tenure, compared to 1,002 FIRs under the BJP government so far.
Rajasthan Mines and Petroleum Department officials reportedly said most violations relate to illegal mining, transportation and storage, many of which are compoundable offences. FIRs are filed only when criminal elements such as violence or theft are involved.
In response to an Assembly question by Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully earlier this year, the government had said that there were 93 attacks against 311 officials and workers by the “mining mafia” in 2024.
Over the last seven years, the state has collected penalties amounting to Rs 637.16 crore from illegal mining cases. Of this, around Rs 231.75 crore was collected during the Congress government, while about Rs 136.78 crore has been collected under the present BJP government. Authorities have also arrested 3,736 people and seized more than 70,399 vehicles and machines linked to illegal mining during this period.
With the hills already under severe pressure for the last few decades from mining, both legal and illegal, and other development activities, the new definition has triggered widespread protests in Rajasthan and beyond.
The situation has gained further attention following a new definition of the Aravalli Hills approved by the Supreme Court, which classifies landforms rising 100 metres above local relief as part of the Aravalli range. The move has sparked protests, with concerns that it could expose more areas to mining. However, the Union Environment Ministry has stated that no new mining leases would be allowed until a detailed study is undertaken, according to the November 20 order.
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Andhra govt issues NOC to Vedanta Ltd to drill 20 onshore oil, gas wells
Amaravati (PTI): The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a conditional 'No Objection Certificate' to Vedanta Ltd (Cairn Oil & Gas Division) for drilling 20 onshore wells in Krishna district.
According to a recent Government Order, Vedanta Limited (Cairn Oil & Gas Division) has submitted a representation, stating that their firm was awarded the work of development of the Onshore Oil and Gas Field under the Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy, 2018.
Further, they requested to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for drilling wells at 35 locations in the block located in various village limits for Onshore Oil and Gas Development and Production, from the Water Resources Department of Andhra Pradesh, as the Bandar Canal passes through the centre of the proposed block.
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“After careful examination of the matter, the government hereby issues ‘No Objection Certificate’ to M/s Vedanta Limited (Cairn Oil & Gas Division), Mumbai, for drilling 20 Nos. of wells at the locations mentioned at para (2) above subject to the terms & conditions as mentioned at para (3) above,” the order said.
The Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation), Water Resources Department, Vijayawada, the Chief Engineer, Krishna Delta System, Vijayawada, and the Collector of Krishna District shall take necessary action accordingly, it added.
According to the order, the NoC can be issued only from the irrigation point of view and is purely temporary in nature. The applicant shall obtain all required permissions from the departments concerned before commencing operations, as per norms.
No water shall be drawn from irrigation canal sources such as the Bandar Canal, KDS canal network, drainage network, ponds, reservoirs, or any other surface-water source, it said.
Cairn Oil & Gas, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest private oil and gas exploration production company, contributing approximately a quarter of the country’s domestic crude production, with a vision to increase this contribution to 50 per cent through sustainable and responsible practices.
