The central government on Sunday firmly rejected allegations that a new definition of the Aravalli mountain range would open the door to large-scale mining, asserting that more than ninety per cent of the ecologically sensitive region will continue to remain protected. The clarification comes amid growing political and environmental concerns over recent changes approved by the Supreme Court.
Addressing media persons after a meeting related to wildlife conservation in the Sundarbans, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav said the government has not relaxed any protection norms for the Aravallis. He emphasised that misinformation was being spread to create public confusion over the issue.
According to the Centre, a Supreme Court-approved framework has placed a freeze on new mining leases across the Aravalli region until a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining is finalised. The government stated that the new definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges has been standardised to remove ambiguity that previously allowed mining dangerously close to hill bases.
The minister said the revised framework would actually bring more land under protection than before. He clarified that mining eligibility is limited to only zero point one nine per cent of the total Aravalli region, which spans nearly one lakh forty four thousand square kilometres across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi.
The controversy largely centres on the definition that categorises an Aravalli hill as any landform with an elevation of one hundred metres or more above local relief. The government strongly denied claims that landforms below this height are now open for mining.
Officials explained that the restriction applies to entire hill systems and the landforms enclosed within them, not just the peak or slope. In addition, land areas lying within five hundred metres between two hills will be treated as part of the same range and protected accordingly.
Uniform Definition Introduced to Prevent Misuse
Sources in the Environment Ministry said the Supreme Court had constituted a committee in May two thousand twenty four to create a uniform definition after observing that different states were using inconsistent criteria while granting mining permissions. The committee found that Rajasthan was the only state with a clear definition in place since two thousand six.
The new definition adopts Rajasthan’s long-standing framework while adding safeguards such as mandatory mapping of hills using Survey of India maps and the identification of core and inviolate zones where mining will be strictly prohibited.
No New Mining Leases Until Sustainable Plan Is Ready
The government confirmed that no new mining leases will be granted in the Aravalli region until a landscape-wide sustainable mining plan is prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Existing mining operations will be allowed to continue only if they fully comply with the sustainability norms laid down by the committee.
It was also clarified that mining will remain completely prohibited in protected forests, eco-sensitive zones, tiger reserves, wetlands and areas located close to such environmentally significant sites. Delhi, which includes five Aravalli districts, does not permit mining at all.
The Centre acknowledged that illegal and unregulated mining remains the biggest threat to the Aravalli ecosystem. To address this, the committee has recommended stronger monitoring mechanisms, increased enforcement and the use of modern technology such as drones and surveillance systems.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to conservation, the minister said initiatives like the Green Aravalli movement are aimed at restoring and preserving the ancient mountain range. He urged political parties and activists to refrain from spreading what he described as misleading narratives that undermine genuine environmental protection efforts.