Faridabad, June 27 -- An official inspection in Faridabad's Dhouj region has uncovered a sprawling network of illegal earth excavation and unauthorised dumping of solid waste, allegedly connected to Gurugram's Bandhwari landfill, prompting experts to call for immediate multi-agency action. The findings come on the heels of an April 10 HT report, which revealed how two private contractors were flouting scientific waste treatment norms and secretly dumping toxic, untreated waste across Faridabad. The joint inspection by Haryana's Mines and Geology Department and the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) on June 20-triggered by citizen complaints-has laid bare environmental violations on a massive scale. According to officials, six sites ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 acres in Fatehpur Taga, Samaypur Dhauj-Ballabhgarh Road, Dhouj, Nurpur Dhumaspur, and Mangar village were found to have been illegally excavated. The excavated pits were then backfilled with legacy, unprocessed waste, bypassing environmental safeguards and contractual obligations. HT visited the sites on Thursday and found large mounds of mixed, untreated waste across open fields - allegedly in violation of environmental norms and the contract's terms. The waste, reportedly sourced from Bandhwari, was concealed beneath layers of earth to evade detection. Experts warn this practice risks groundwater contamination, land instability, and long-term health hazards. In one egregious case, a landowner is allegedly planning to build residential colonies atop a concealed dump site (Lat: 28.343762degN, Long: 77.203240degE), potentially exposing future residents to toxic soil and structural threats. A detailed 18-page inspection report, which HT has accessed, now submitted to the Faridabad deputy commissioner (DC), includes geo-tagged photographs and coordinates as evidence of the violations. In response, the DC has written to top officials, including the director general of mines and geology, police commissioner, and municipal commissioners of Faridabad and Gurugram, urging swift action to halt illegal dumping, excavation, and unauthorized land development. Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Pradeep Dahiya acknowledged the gravity of the situation. "Our teams have visited the spot and conducted inspections. We are carrying out an internal investigation and strict legal action will follow," he said. Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) commissioner Dhirender Khadgata said the violations cut across administrative jurisdictions, requiring coordination between pollution, mining, and police authorities. "Soil has been excavated illegally, and unprocessed waste has been dumped without any permits. MCF will issue showcause notices to landowners and proceed with strict action," he said. Khadgata added that since Bandhwari landfill falls under Gurugram's jurisdiction, MCG will oversee violations on that front. "The commissioner MCG is overseeing probe related to Bandhwari landfill since it falls under his jurisdiction. Action will be taken against all violators." The Aravalli foothills-already stressed by deforestation, mining, and encroachment-are now facing a new ecological threat due to hidden waste dumps. The inspection report not only documents the violations but flags an imminent risk to environmental and human health in the region. Harish Kumar, HSPCB regional officer (Ballabgarh), confirmed that waste samples collected from one site were being tested to verify their nature. "We are checking whether proper permission was taken and whether the waste is inert or toxic. MCF has been asked to proceed as per protocol. Since the contractors are tied to Bandhwari, we've requested the regional officer in Gurugram to take action," Kumar said. Environmental experts have raised alarms over what they describe as a dangerous and organised pattern of land misuse and waste concealment. Vaishali Rana, an environmental activist working on Aravalli conservation, called the practice of covering untreated waste with soil "a dangerous deception." "You can hide waste under layers of soil, but you can't bury the environmental damage. This contaminates groundwater, weakens the soil, and creates long-term health risks for entire communities. It's like laying the foundation for a ticking time bomb," she said. Vinay Mohan, plant manager at Greentech, one of the two contractors mentioned above, initially denied knowledge of the report. However, when HT shared the document with him, he did not respond to repeated calls or messages. Subh Narayan Mishra, site engineer at Adarsh Bharat Enviro Private Limited (ABEPL)- the other contractor named in the report-denied widespread wrongdoing but admitted to a single site mishap. "Out of the six locations mentioned, only one was relevant to our operations. There, a few tonnes of plastic waste got inadvertently mixed with inert waste due to rainfall and oversight during loading," he said. ABEPL, Mishra added, has since terminated the responsible staff and vendors, launched an internal inquiry, and committed to fully retrieving and processing the waste at its own cost. "We will submit photographic and weighment proof of compliance. A dedicated monitoring team has also been formed to prevent future lapses," he said. The DC's letter marks the first formal step toward unravelling what appears to be a larger nexus of illegal dumping, forged permits, and deliberate environmental neglect. While authorities have pledged action, residents and environmental activists remain sceptical....