In Rajasthan’s mining landscape, the rot runs deep

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Editor's note: On 19 July, Surendra Singh received a tip-off about illegal mining in Haryana’s Pachgaon village. Bordering eastern Rajasthan, the village falls in the Aravalli region, home to several mines and quarries.  Soon, the 59-year-old deputy superintendent of police, along with his team, was chasing a dumper truck laden with illegally mined stone, The Hindu reported. He managed to catch up with the vehicle. As Singh was walking up to the truck, he was run over by its driver and died on the spot, a police spokesperson told the newspaper.  Singh’s killing once again focused public attention on illegal mining rampant in the Aravalli area.  The nearly 700 km mountain range extends from Delhi to Gujarat, running through Haryana and Rajasthan. It is the source of several rivers, serves as a barrier against the sprawling Thar desert and protects the surrounding areas from dust, sandstorms and pollution. In fact, the Delhi Ridge, described as the lungs of the national capital, is an extension of the Aravalli range. The mountain range, much of which falls in Rajasthan (550 km), is also rich …