'It is wrong to conclude that mining is permitted in all landforms below 100 metre height': Centre on Aravalli Hills protest

New Delhi [India], December 21 (ANI): The Centre has said the Aravalli Hills will remain under robust ecological protection while balancing conservation with responsible development, amid the ongoing protests in multiple regions of northern India after the Supreme Court's recent acceptance of the Union Environment Ministry's definition of the Aravalli hills.
According to a press release by the government, "Under the approved framework, any landform rising 100 metres or more above local relief will be classified as an 'Aravalli Hill', including its supporting slopes and associated landforms. Further, two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other will constitute an "Aravalli Range", ensuring protection not only of prominent peaks but also of valleys, slopes, and smaller hillocks that form an integrated ecological system.
"Contrary to alarmist claims, there is no imminent threat to the Aravallis' ecology. Ongoing afforestation, eco-sensitive zone notifications, and strict monitoring of mining and urban activities ensure that the Aravallis continue to serve as a natural heritage and ecological shield for the nation. India's resolve is clear: the Aravallis will be safeguarded for present and future generations while balancing conservation with responsible development," the statement said.
In a recent judgment delivered in November, the apex court endorsed the recommendations of a committee led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), constituted in May 2024 to frame a uniform policy definition of the Aravallis for mining regulation. The committee included forest department secretaries from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, along with representatives from the Forest Survey of India, the Central Empowered Committee and the Geological Survey of India.
The Supreme Court reiterated the ecological significance of the Aravalli range as one of India's oldest geological formations, highlighting its role in preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and sustaining biodiversity across northern and western India. It cautioned that unregulated mining poses a "grave threat to the ecology of the nation".
The government said the definition builds on Rajasthan's long-standing criterion in force since 2006, while introducing greater objectivity, transparency and conservation focus. All Aravalli hills and ranges will be mandatorily marked on Survey of India toposheets, core and inviolate areas will be clearly identified, and scientific criteria will guide decisions on permissible activities.
"The Supreme Court has accepted the committee's recommendations to prohibit mining in core and inviolate areas, except for specified critical, strategic and atomic minerals under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. It has also directed the MoEFCC to prepare a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli landscape through the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), on the lines of the Saranda forest mining plan," the release said.
Crucially, the court has ordered an interim freeze on the grant of new mining leases in the Aravallis until the MPSM is finalised. Existing mines may continue operations only under strict compliance with sustainable mining norms and enhanced monitoring to curb illegal mining, it said.
According to the government, the landscape-level approach will help preserve the Aravallis' role as a natural barrier against the Thar Desert, protect groundwater recharge zones, conserve biodiversity corridors and safeguard the "green lungs" of the Delhi-NCR region.
Rejecting concerns of immediate ecological threat, the press release said afforestation drives, eco-sensitive zone notifications and robust enforcement mechanisms, including drones, CCTV surveillance and district task forces, are already in place. The government reaffirmed its commitment to balancing conservation with responsible development, stating that the Aravalli Hills will be protected for future generations through transparent, science-based regulation.
While addressing media in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas on Sunday, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav also strongly rejected allegations that the Centre has diluted protections for the Aravalli hills, asserting that nearly 90 per cent of the Aravalli landscape will remain under the protected zone and mining will be allowed only in a very limited area under strict scrutiny of the Supreme Court.
While the Centre maintains that the order strengthens oversight and curbs illegal mining, the Congress insists the revised framework weakens long-term protection of the ancient Aravalli range and has vowed to continue its agitation both on the streets and in Parliament.
Addressing a press briefing in Jaipur on Sunday, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of attempting to "jeopardise the future of Rajasthan" by diluting protections for the Aravalli range, which he described as the state's ecological lifeline. He alleged that the move was intended to benefit the mining mafia and was contrary to judicial orders and established government records. (ANI)