Drone view of Aravalli hills (ANI photo)
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday ordered states to impose a complete ban on new mining leases in the Aravallis and expand protected zones, a major move amid public outcry over the “new definition” of the mountain range.The Union environment ministry said the decision was aimed at the “conservation and protection” of one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, covering the stretch from Delhi to Gujarat. The directive seeks to safeguard the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region and to put an end to unregulated mining across the region.As part of the announcement, the ministry instructed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify further zones across the Aravallis where mining must be prohibited, beyond those areas already notified by the Centre-based on ecological, geological and landscape-level assessments.The Centre also said it intends to expand the list of areas protected and restricted from mining across the range. For mines that are currently operational, state governments have been asked to ensure “strict compliance” with environmental safeguards and adherence to Supreme Court orders.On Monday, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference that “no new mining leases will be permitted, especially in core, protected and ecologically sensitive areas, including the NCR”. Responding to the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the “new definition” of the Aravallis, he said: “The ruling recognises and endorses the Government of India’s sustained efforts to protect the Aravalli range through scientific assessment, strict safeguards and initiatives such as the Aravalli Green Wall Project.”He further underlined the government’s efforts such as the expansion of Ramsar sites, afforestation drives and global recognition of India’s forest cover, adding that the BJP-led NDA government remains “firmly committed to balancing ecology and economy, while countering misinformation with facts and science”.The Supreme Court’s acceptance, classifying any landform in Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief as Aravali Hills-sparked concern among several stakeholders, who fear the new definition could leave more than 90% of the range open to mining, as most landforms fall below the 100-metre threshold.