Sunday, July 08, 2007, (Kalesar Forest, Haryana)
The Kalaser National forest, spread across 11,000 acres near Yamuna Nagar in Haryana, is home to a variety of plants and animals, including leopards and panthers.
Situated on the foothills of the Dauladar range, the forest including the Yamuna river which passes through it were designated as part of a national park in December 2003.
The move should have given the local administration and the Centre great powers to protect it but that has not been the case.
For over the past two years the forest has been under attack. Illegal mining contractors looking for sand and stones used in construction are its biggest enemies.
Work begins at night as a convoy of trucks makes its way on the riverbed and into the reserve forest. Soon the riverbed resembles a highway as trucks head into and out of it.
Villagers who have protested in the past have been attacked-- clearly much is at stake in keeping the operation going on.
Trail of evidence
As the NDTV team films from the cover of the forest, more than 50 trucks pass by, each laden with rocks and sand as work continues until dawn.
The material ends up at a stone cruncher, next to the main highway, which comes alive only at night when an army of workers rushes in to process the sand and stone coming out of the riverbed.
The noise from the machines can be heard several miles away but has failed to get the attention of the forest office situated on the riverbank and near the whole operation.
As the day breaks, the team travels to the riverbed to see the damage done. While the trucks and excavators disappear, they leave behind evidence of an entire night's operation.
For the sake of profit
River bed mining is a huge and profitable business with heavy demand for sand and stones used for construction in Delhi and other cities.
An operation, like this one, can fetch a couple of crores each month. As no royalty or tax is paid to the government, most operations are carried out by contractors who have ensured that the local administration looks the other way.
But it is not just the forest and river that are facing a threat.
Balbir Singh whose family has been farming fields near the forest for generations says that mining has led to flooding in the past few years, in which several acres of farm land were lost.
Several villagers had written to the forest and mining department but nothing happened. Instead they were threatened and attacked by the miners.
"Several times our fields have been washed away and several machines run at night and even day. Despite our land being close to the National Park the mining goes on with help from forest officials," said Balbir Singh.
Ironically while everyone knows what is happening, the forest department chooses to look the other way.
"Mining used to happen earlier, even in the river, but it has closed down now," said Walia, Area Forest Range Officer.
When questioned about the huge pits seen at the site, Walia argued that they have been there from before.
Despite all denials, the forest, its river and the people living nearby silently bear witness to the plunder.
Situated on the foothills of the Dauladar range, the forest including the Yamuna river which passes through it were designated as part of a national park in December 2003.
The move should have given the local administration and the Centre great powers to protect it but that has not been the case.
For over the past two years the forest has been under attack. Illegal mining contractors looking for sand and stones used in construction are its biggest enemies.
Work begins at night as a convoy of trucks makes its way on the riverbed and into the reserve forest. Soon the riverbed resembles a highway as trucks head into and out of it.
Villagers who have protested in the past have been attacked-- clearly much is at stake in keeping the operation going on.
Trail of evidence
As the NDTV team films from the cover of the forest, more than 50 trucks pass by, each laden with rocks and sand as work continues until dawn.
The material ends up at a stone cruncher, next to the main highway, which comes alive only at night when an army of workers rushes in to process the sand and stone coming out of the riverbed.
The noise from the machines can be heard several miles away but has failed to get the attention of the forest office situated on the riverbank and near the whole operation.
As the day breaks, the team travels to the riverbed to see the damage done. While the trucks and excavators disappear, they leave behind evidence of an entire night's operation.
For the sake of profit
River bed mining is a huge and profitable business with heavy demand for sand and stones used for construction in Delhi and other cities.
An operation, like this one, can fetch a couple of crores each month. As no royalty or tax is paid to the government, most operations are carried out by contractors who have ensured that the local administration looks the other way.
But it is not just the forest and river that are facing a threat.
Balbir Singh whose family has been farming fields near the forest for generations says that mining has led to flooding in the past few years, in which several acres of farm land were lost.
Several villagers had written to the forest and mining department but nothing happened. Instead they were threatened and attacked by the miners.
"Several times our fields have been washed away and several machines run at night and even day. Despite our land being close to the National Park the mining goes on with help from forest officials," said Balbir Singh.
Ironically while everyone knows what is happening, the forest department chooses to look the other way.
"Mining used to happen earlier, even in the river, but it has closed down now," said Walia, Area Forest Range Officer.
When questioned about the huge pits seen at the site, Walia argued that they have been there from before.
Despite all denials, the forest, its river and the people living nearby silently bear witness to the plunder.
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