Gurugram, Oct. 29 -- A Supreme Court-appointed committee examining the definition and demarcation of the Aravalli hills and ranges visited two Haryana villages on Tuesday, where residents raised concerns over mining, groundwater depletion, blasting damage to houses and the alleged auction of protected forest land. The five-member panel held consultations at Ramalwas in Charkhi Dadri and Rajawas in Mahendergarh, hearing residents, and environmental campaigners on the impact of mining on ecology and livelihoods. Villagers sought action against operations allegedly violating norms, restoration of mined-out areas and an inquiry into the auction of land notified as protected forest. The Supreme Court constituted the committee on May 25, 2026, to examine the proposed definition of the Aravallis and its implications for mining and ecological protection and submit a report by November 30. The proceedings also seek to identify areas that could fall outside the proposed criteria and assess the consequences of mining even under valid leases. Residents asked the panel to consider the combined effects of mining across adjoining villages rather than examine individual sites in isolation. At Ramalwas, Om Prakash, Bhiwani district vice-president of the All India Kisan Sabha, alleged that extensive mining over the past decade had destroyed most hills in Charkhi Dadri and adjoining Bhiwani district. He said mining had damaged forests, grazing grounds and drainage channels, while excavation below the groundwater table had contributed to agricultural wells drying up. He sought cancellation of leases violating environmental norms and a scientific public health survey across the mining belt. Sanju, sarpanch of Ramalwas, said mining had damaged biodiversity and common grazing grounds before the village's mining lease was terminated towards the end of 2024. Sanju alleged that blasting caused cracks in houses and that the village had not received its mandated share of mining revenue or lease rent since 2018. Yogbir Sangwan, an environmental activist from Pandwan village, alleged that operators in Pichopa Kalan and Manakwas were extracting minerals beyond authorised lease boundaries. Sangwan also flagged overloaded mining vehicles, attacks on enforcement personnel and threats to village representatives who complained about blasting. Residents called for scrutiny of mining permissions and enforcement, saying damage to grazing land and water resources had affected life beyond the areas directly excavated. The allegations of violations and intimidation could not be independently verified. At Rajawas, resident Satyanarayan questioned proposed mining on land notified as protected forest. A Haryana government notification dated June 20, 2023, declared 506.33 acres in the village protected forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, as part of compensatory afforestation linked to the Great Nicobar project. Satyanarayan alleged that 119.55 acres of the notified land were put up for e-auction for stone mining and crushing the same day without the gram panchayat's knowledge or consent. He urged the committee to examine the auction's legality and recommend protection for a wider landscape spanning more than 20 villages and supporting wildlife including leopards. Residents also raised concerns over falling groundwater levels and the impact of mining and stone crushing on ponds, agriculture and air quality. Neelam Ahluwalia, co-founder of Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan, said the consultations allowed rural communities to raise their concerns directly with the committee. She sought restrictions on mining , cancellation of leases found violating norms and an assessment of environmental and public health damage in the Aravallis....