Aravallis Get A Breather As Government Pauses New Mining Approvals

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change), Bhupendra Yadav has said currently there is no threat to the Aravalli ranges. The Ministry has also made it clear that mining activities would be strictly regulated, and further mining licenses would not be granted until detailed sustainability study is completed.

He said the Supreme Court petition itself originated amid concerns over unchecked illegal mining. Welcoming the court’s verdict, the minister stressed that the government’s focus is rooted in science-based solutions, strict enforcement and long-term protection of the Aravalli ecosystem, while safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of people dependent on the region.  

 “The Aravallis are very important to us, and it is our responsibility to safeguard them,” Bhupendra Yadav.

These are happening as the Supreme Court of India has reportedly ordered the definition of Aravalli ranges on November 20, to provide a better protective zone around the mountains, to which the court has agreed on suggestions by a committee formed under the environment minister.

Under the new definition, "Aravalli Hill is any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief" and an “Aravalli Range is a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other”, reported by PTI.

However, it has been alleged that the above definition may result in more land being used as mining or construction areas. The government has refuted this claim.

The minister, however, reassured that the extraction of minerals in the Aravalli zone would remain under close observation. The Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE) will draw up management plans at the district level regarding sustainable mining in respect of the entire Aravalli zone. Until then, fresh permissions for mining will not be allotted. Moreover, even later, everything would need to be sanctioned by ICFRE.

Currently, mining is permitted in only 278 sq km of the Aravalli area, while its total area is over 1.43 lakh sq km, said the minister.

The government said that the proposed definition aims to make the regulation stronger, not weaker. A clear definition will ensure that all rules concerning mining are applied the same way in all states. The environment ministry further clarified that it is wrong to assume that mining activities will be allowed on all land below 100 meters. Areas identified as Aravalli hills will not be given new mining leases. "Existing mining activities are to continue only after strictly following sustainable mining guidelines," said Bhupendra Yadav.