Dismissing alarmist claims, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reiterated that there is no imminent threat to the Aravallis’ ecology. India’s resolve is clear: the Aravallis will be safeguarded for present and future generations while balancing conservation with responsible development, the Ministry said, reported IANS.
Meanwhile, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav has said that the Government is fully committed to protecting the Aravalli range and will not allow illegal mining under any circumstances, asserting that recent rumours about dilution of safeguards are misleading and politically motivated.
The Ministry said it is important to note that no new definition has been given for the Aravalli. The current debate is linked to a development in the Supreme Court, which accepted the recommendations of a committee formed by the Ministry for protecting the hills and regulating mining. The committee was constituted on May 9, 2024, for a uniform policy-level definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges, specifically in the context of regulating mining, and to incorporate the views of four state governments.
According to the policy-level definition, an “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. The Ministry said it is wrong to conclude that mining is permitted in all landforms below the 100-metre height. The committee was formed during a hearing related to alleged illegal mining in the Aravalli Hills and Mountain Ranges in the MC Mehta versus Union of India and others matter.
The Aravalli Hills and Ranges are among India’s oldest geological formations, stretching from Delhi through Haryana and Rajasthan and into Gujarat. Historically, they have been recognised across 37 districts by state governments, with their ecological role noted as a natural barrier against northern desertification and a protector of biodiversity and water recharge.
Contrary to alarmist claims that the new development will encourage commercial activities in the range, the Ministry said 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, it said.