Outrage Over Extraction Of Granite From Thar's Karoonjhar Hills

Outrage Over Extraction Of Granite From Thar's Karoonjhar Hills
Social media is currently witnessing a massive outcry as people call for a stop to the mineral extraction going on in the historical Karoojhar Hills.

Karoonjhar Hills are located near Nagarparkar and are rich in deposits of granite. According to the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation, the Karoonjhar Hills have several places of historical importance, like Bhodeser talao (ancient water tank), Alakh wao (hidden well), and most importantly, ruins of ancient Jain temples.

https://twitter.com/KhalidLatifi3/status/1194153078368407553?s=20

Social media is currently in uproar as there have been reports of granite being extracted from these hills. People have argued that such an action would not only damage the ecosystem, but would also destroy the heritage of the place.

https://twitter.com/bhawanippp/status/1194181059627376641?s=20

Mithi Mineral Development Assistant Director wrote a letter to the SHO of Police Station Nagarparkar on November 8, apprising him of the illegal mining of granite in the area of Karoonjhar Hills, and asking him to lodge an FIR against those engaged in mining.



According to People’s Youth Organisation Sindh Provincial President Javed Laghari, the Frontier Works Organisation is currently involved in mining granite from the area. In a tweet, Laghari called the Sindh government to block the FWO from its actions and to cancel their lease.

https://twitter.com/JavedNLaghari/status/1194176132490432512?s=20

A social media user stated that despite the Supreme Court’s order, the FWO was engaged in mineral extraction in the area, which was damaging these beautiful and historical mountains.

https://twitter.com/RabNBaloch/status/1194132478614593538?s=20

A user termed this a sad state of affairs, and said that instead of protecting ‘gems’ like Karonnjhar, we are busy destroying them.

https://twitter.com/sikanderbizenjo/status/1194152627149385728?s=20

While protesting the damage being done to the hills, people also shared a geological calendar, supposedly from the Chronological Dictionary of Sindh, which says that the hills are more than 3.5 billion years old.

https://twitter.com/umersoomro2002/status/1194172508058083330?s=20

Users also shared a video of a child speaking against the extraction being done at Karoonjhar Hills.

https://twitter.com/Sangrisaeed/status/1194156464409108480?s=20

An anthropologist called for the heritage of the place to be preserved by allowing the ‘hills’ peacocks dance at the top’ and by stopping the contractors.

https://twitter.com/HullioSikandar/status/1194192329453842432?s=20

A user also called for the place to be declared a world heritage site, and urged people to raise a strong voice so that this ‘valuable jewel is not desecrated’.

https://twitter.com/SaifSamejo/status/1194217425471803394?s=20

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