Tue Oct 15 00:25:51 UTC 2024: ## Villagers Protest Illegal Mining in Shivpuri, Fear for Lives
**Shivpuri:** Residents of Mudaini village in Shivpuri tehsil have submitted a memorandum to the collector, demanding an immediate halt to the illegal mining of red murrum and the proposed lease for the same. The villagers claim that mining mafia are actively excavating the area at night using JCBs, creating deep pits in close proximity to their homes.
The villagers are particularly concerned about the proposed lease, fearing that the large-scale excavation will lead to the creation of dangerous pits, posing a risk to children and livestock. They cite previous incidents in Nivoda and Googripura villages where children fell into similar pits and died.
**”We are living in fear,”** said Sheetal Singh Sardar, a resident of Mudaini village. “The mafia is targeting government land that surrounds our settlements. They want to extract crores of rupees worth of murrum after spending just three crores on the lease. This will lead to the creation of massive pits, posing a danger to our children and livestock.”
Another villager, Vijay Singh Rawat, highlighted the brazen nature of the mafia’s operations. **”They are operating at night, using JCBs and dump trucks to excavate in the middle of our settlements. They have already created several large pits, and threaten us when we try to stop them,”** said Rawat. He added that despite filing a complaint with the police, they have not received any response.
The villagers are urging the authorities to take immediate action to prevent further illegal mining and to ensure their safety.
First Piper 