Government Expands Mining-Prohibited Zones in Aravalli
New Delhi: In view of growing concerns over mining and environmental degradation following a recent Supreme Court judgement that suggests a new definition of the Aravallis, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) today claimed it has directed States to enforce a complete ban on the grant of any new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range. The Ministry stated that this prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and is intended to preserve the integrity of the range.
Stretching from the National Capital Region to Gujarat, the Aravallis are being recognised for their ecological, geological, and hydrological significance, and the move aims to preserve the integrity of this continuous ridge. “The directions are aimed at safeguarding the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region, and at stopping all unregulated mining activities,” the Ministry stated.
The Ministry has also tasked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) with identifying additional zones where mining should be prohibited, complementing areas already under protection, based on ecological, geological and landscape-level considerations. This exercise will inform a comprehensive, science-based Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli region, which will be placed in the public domain for wide stakeholder consultation. The plan will assess cumulative environmental impacts, ecological carrying capacity, identify conservation-critical zones, and prescribe measures for restoration and rehabilitation.
For mines already in operation, State Governments have been directed to ensure strict compliance with all environmental safeguards and align activities with the Supreme Court’s orders.
Existing operations will be subject to tighter regulation and additional restrictions to uphold sustainable mining practices. Ongoing mining activities would be regulated “stringently,” with additional restrictions, to ensure environmental protection and adherence to sustainable mining practices. “This exercise by the Centre would further enlarge the coverage of areas protected and prohibited from mining in the entire Aravallis, keeping in mind the local topography, ecology and biodiversity,” the Ministry stated.
The MoEF&CC emphasises that this initiative is part of a long-term commitment to protect the Aravalli ecosystem, which plays a crucial role in preventing desertification, conserving biodiversity, recharging aquifers, and providing essential environmental services across the region. By expanding the network of protected and prohibited mining areas, the government seeks to safeguard the Aravallis for both ecological balance and public welfare. “The Government of India stands fully committed towards long-term protection of the Aravalli ecosystem, recognising its critical role in preventing desertification, conserving biodiversity, recharging aquifers, and providing environmental services for the region,” it asserted.
– global bihari bureau
