Centre rejects claims of dilution of Aravalli protection

The Centre on Sunday rejected allegations that it had altered the definition of the Aravalli hills to permit large-scale mining, asserting that a Supreme Court-approved framework has, in fact, strengthened protection for the fragile mountain range and imposed a freeze on new mining leases across the region.

Responding to criticism over the adoption of a “100-metre” criterion to define hills, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the revised, standardised definition would bring over 90 per cent of the Aravalli region under protected area, and not weaken safeguards as alleged. Speaking to reporters at the Sundarban Tiger Reserve, Yadav said the framework approved by the apex court ensures uniform protection and prevents misuse of ambiguous definitions that earlier allowed mining dangerously close to hill bases.

The clarification comes amid renewed public debate over long-pending cases related to illegal mining in the Aravallis, a mountain system spanning Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi, and considered crucial for groundwater recharge, biodiversity conservation and protection against desertification. Environmentalists, civil society groups and residents have repeatedly raised concerns that unchecked mining has damaged forest cover, water sources and wildlife corridors.

Under the Rajasthan model, landforms rising 100 metres or more above local relief are treated as hills, and mining is prohibited within the lowest bounding contour enclosing such hills, irrespective of the height or slope of landforms inside that contour. The committee recommended adoption of this definition by all four states, along with additional safeguards to make the process more objective and transparent.

These safeguards include treating hills located within 500 metres of each other as a single range, mandatory mapping of hills and ranges on Survey of India maps before any mining decision, and clear identification of core and inviolate areas where mining is completely prohibited. The government stressed that it is “incorrect to conclude” that landforms below 100 metres are automatically open for mining, clarifying that restrictions apply to entire hill systems, not merely hilltops or slopes.

In a background note, the Centre said the Supreme Court has accepted the committee’s recommendations to prohibit mining in core and inviolate areas, including protected areas, eco-sensitive zones, tiger reserves, wetlands and adjoining regions, while allowing limited exemptions only for critical, strategic and deep-seated minerals in national interest.

As per the apex court’s directions, no new mining leases will be granted in the Aravalli region until a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining is prepared for the entire landscape by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Existing mines may continue operations only if they strictly comply with sustainable mining norms laid down by the committee.

The government also sought to counter claims of widespread legal mining, stating that district-level analysis across Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat shows that legally approved mining currently covers only about 0.19 per cent of the total geographical area of 37 Aravalli districts, while Delhi does not permit any mining in its five Aravalli districts.

While environmental groups, conservationists and citizen campaigns have welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention and continue to push for stronger enforcement, the Centre said the primary threat to the Aravallis remains illegal and unregulated mining. To address this, the committee has recommended enhanced monitoring, stricter enforcement and the use of technology such as drones and surveillance systems.