A group of miners was caught "red-handed" in an illegal excavation operation in Dhauj Aravalis, India, according to authorities on the scene, as reported by the Times of India.

Officials seized a tractor trolley allegedly used for transporting mined materials from a protected zone and imposed a penalty of Rs 1.75 lakh (approximately $1,972) on the violators.

Although the operation was stopped, this was unfortunately not the first violation in the Aravali region this year. A similar case occurred in July 2025 when a group of illegal miners was caught after an explosion caused by an equipment failure was heard in the Aravalli mountain range.

The Supreme Court of India banned mining operations in the Aravali region in 2002 and has recently begun enforcing more stringent restrictions in the area in response to a surge in cases.

Sections 4 and 5 of the 1900 Punjab Land Preservation Act stipulate that regions designated as forest must be exempt from non-forest activities, such as mining or landscaping, without prior authorization. However, these provisions continue to be violated despite court intervention.

Considering the mountain range's role as a critical ecological landmass that shields large cities in India from deadly sandstorms and natural disasters, finding and stopping illegal operations such as this is crucial for both the environment and citizens.

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"These hills act as natural barriers against dust storms and help recharge groundwater. Every illegal mining act chips away at that resilience," conservationist Vivek Kamboj said, per the Times of India.

In addition, continued operations in the region have also led to the Dhauj Lake, a 100-acre seasonal water body that once supported three villages, being slowly wiped off the map and drying out for the first time in decades, exacerbating India's current drought-related issues.

Mining equipment often utilizes several dirty energy sources that release harmful chemicals and gases into the atmosphere, potentially endangering local wildlife if not correctly managed or handled.

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