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.

#Karoojhar is the only hill in district Tharparkar. It consists of granite rocks, of Aravalli range. It belongs to the oldest rocks of the Earth's crust. This is a small area quite different from the desert.
Karonjhar is 19 km in length & attains height of 305 m#SaveKaroonjhar pic.twitter.com/UqvetAiCMy

— Khalid Latifi (@KhalidLatifi3) November 12, 2019

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.

The Karoonjhar range is 19 km in length and attains a height of 305 m. Karoonjhar Mouantains are rich in mineral deposits. The Karunjhar was famously known as Kinro. The Mountain Range has several places of historical importance, like Bhodeser talao, Alakh wao.#SaveKaroonjhar pic.twitter.com/q6g8rjKfs8

— Bhawani Kumar Malhi (@bhawanippp) November 12, 2019

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.

#FWO has reached at Thar & destroying Environment. #SaveKaroonjhar is slogan of every Sindhi people, we love our places, heritage & mountains. Sindh govt must block #FWO & cancel the lease of digging. pic.twitter.com/VS0TKCvu9e

— Javed Nayab Laghari (@JavedNLaghari) November 12, 2019

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.

سپریم کورٹ کےاحکامات کے باوجود FWO معدنیات کا بہانہ بناکر کارونجھر سےپتھر اٹھارہا
اس تاریخی اور خوبصورت پہاڑی سلسے کو تباہ و برباد کررہا
ٹویٹر کےدوست اس میں بھی سندھ حکومت کو لتاڑ رہے
ایف ڈبلیو او کام نام لیتے پر جلتے ہیں#SaveKaroonjhar @HamidMirPAK @gabeeno @murtazasolangi pic.twitter.com/5ubBblRNxv

— Rab Nawaz Baloch (@RabNBaloch) November 12, 2019

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

Its sad state of affairs. Instead of protecting the gems like #Karoonjhar, we are busy destroying them. Glad to see that locals of Tharparkar are raising their voices, hope government takes notice and stop the madness. #SaveKaroonjhar

cc. @Qasimsoomro @SassuiPalijo @sardarshah1 https://t.co/AbwgDpp6J2

— Sikander Bizenjo (@sikanderbizenjo) November 12, 2019

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.

Geological Calendar given by Great Sindhologist M. H. Panhwar in his marvelous collection "Chronological Dictionary of Sindh" states that:
"Nagar Parkar Hills (Karoonjhar Hills) are Pre-Cambrian Period (3.5 bn. years or even earlier) formation, when no life existed except algae. pic.twitter.com/Z6sZPyxWwx

— Umer Soomro (@umersoomro2002) November 12, 2019

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

Listen a child What he demands only to #SaveKaroonjhar pic.twitter.com/flM44zofPL

— Saeed Sangri (@Sangrisaeed) November 12, 2019

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.

Let the peacocks dance at the top of #Karoonjhar and don't let the contractors allow to destroy their centuries old dens and Join #SaveKaroonjhar

— Sikandar Ali Hullio (@HullioSikandar) November 12, 2019

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’.

1. I often don’t advocate ppl on social media unless I feel some good vibes from them. I’m glad to see #Karoonjhar has taken your attention & adding as record that I & @Qasimsoomro talked how to take efforts to declare #Karoonjhar as world heritage. After my write-up in @etribune

— Saif Samejo (@SaifSamejo) November 12, 2019