Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has alleged that the state government is actively providing protection to illegal mining operations and the mining mafia. He stated that this is evident from incidents occurring across the state, from Chhachhrauli to Palwal.
In Chhachhrauli, for instance, a dumper filled with illegally mined soil was initially caught by the police and parked at the police station. However, after some time, the dumper was reportedly taken elsewhere, emptied, and the empty vehicle was brought back to the police station. According to Hooda, such incidents are clear examples of administrative collusion and the lack of genuine action against illegal mining.
He added that the chain of illegal mining along the Yamuna stretches from Yamunanagar to Palwal, with the mafia operating without fear in every district. In Palwal, several temporary bridges have allegedly been constructed across the Yamuna to facilitate illegal sand extraction. These structures, Hooda pointed out, have been built without any official or environmental clearance. Despite complaints from villagers to various authorities — including the local MLA and ministers — no action has been taken. Hooda claimed this inaction is because the state government itself is shielding those involved.
Hooda emphasised that illegal mining is not only causing the state a revenue loss of thousands of crores but is also a key contributor to floods in Haryana.
He recalled the floods of 2023, attributing them to the altered flow of rivers caused by illegal sand extraction. When water from higher elevations in the north surged downstream, residential areas were inundated. Hooda said the Congress had raised the issue both on the streets and in the Assembly, highlighting government negligence. He personally visited the flood-affected areas and described the disaster as man-made. While the government had made several promises to take preventive measures post-2023, none have materialized to date.
He added that, as of July 2025, the monsoon has once again arrived in the state, but embankments along many rivers have still not been reinforced. No adequate flood-prevention measures have been implemented in villages likely to be affected by the Markanda River. Similarly, work on riverbank fortifications along the Tangri River and in Hema Majra, Kurukshetra, has not yet started.
Hooda warned that due to the government’s continued inaction and incompetence, Haryana may once again face the threat of severe flooding this monsoon.
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