GURUGRAM: There has been a 125% increase in the number of illegal mining cases in Gurugram in the past one year, revealed the response to an RTI query.As many as nine cases of illegal mining were reported from different parts of the district in 2016-17, as against four cases filed in the year of 2015-16. Seven illegal mining cases had been reported the year before, i.e. 2014-15.Further, while illegal mining had been reported from Bhondsi, Badshapur, Kherki Dhaula and Farukhnagar during the previous years, most of the nine cases in 2016-17 were reported from Bhondsi.According to the RTI reply given in Hindi, a copy of which is with TOI, Rs 3.25 lakh had been received as fine from nine vehicles seized between April 2014 and April 2017. Also, Rs 2.38 lakh penalty was slapped on two individuals/enterprises, who were found to be involved in illegal mining, during the same period.“Despite a blanket ban on all kinds of mining activities imposed by the honourable Supreme Court in 2002, reports of illegal mining have been coming in from different parts of Gurgaon. Shockingly, there has been an increase in the number of cases in the last one year, as compared to the previous area, which suggests mining mafia are only getting stronger in the area,” said Aseem Takyar, who filed the RTI application.Environment experts, however, claimed that the reported cases were only the tip of the iceberg. “Mining is still rampant and loud thunders of dynamite blasts are often heard in the area. We all know that FIRs are registered only in cases of severe violations. There have been many complaints by residents and activists that have gone unheard,” said Jitender Bhadana from Save Aravallis, an environmental NGO.He added that stone crusher units in Faridabad were one of the main violators and should be shut down to prevent illegal mining activities.When asked, district mining officer KS Khatkar told TOI, “Nine cases in a year is a minuscule figure. Most areas in and around Gurgaon are now populated and rarely do we hear about mining activities. Also, most of these nine cases are related to small scale mining operations. Some people do not know that mining is an offence and it is therefore sometimes carried out by people unaware of the law. We, however, take strict action against offenders whenever there is a violation.”The Supreme Court had imposed a complete ban on all mining activities in the Aravallis, spread across 448 square kilometres in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Mewat districts of Haryana, in 2002.