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Asserting that the new and controversial definition of the Aravalli hills is applicable only for mining purposes, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday said that just 277.89 sq km, about 0.19 per cent, of the total Aravalli landscape is open to mining, and no new mining leases will be granted until a detailed scientific study is completed.
Addressing a press conference to allay concerns over the revised definition, Yadav said the Modi government remains firmly committed to the Green Aravalli mission and that fears of large-scale ecological dilution are misplaced. "This definition related to the Aravalli hills is applicable only for mining purposes. It will be used solely in the context of mining. Mining is permitted only in 277.89 sq km out of the total 1,43,577 sq km of the Aravalli area," Yadav said. The Environment Minister, however, declined to comment on any timeline for the report being prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), which is mandatory before any fresh mining lease can be considered. "The matter is in court. I cannot comment on the timeline as of now," he added. Yadav's remarks come amid sharp political criticism following the Supreme Court's acceptance of the Centre's definition of the Aravalli hills and its approval of recommendations for sustainable mining. The opposition has alleged that the move would benefit mining interests, an allegation the minister categorically rejected. Yadav said mining activity in the Aravalli range would be allowed only in a very limited area, stressing that the mountain range continues to enjoy robust ecological protection. He also said that the apex court had appreciated the government's Green Aravalli movement. The Union Environment Ministry has also issued a detailed clarification, stating that no new mining leases will be allowed until a comprehensive study is undertaken, in line with the Supreme Court's November 20 order. The Supreme Court has directed the Environment Ministry to prepare a Mining Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli range before granting any new leases. The plan, to be prepared by ICFRE on the lines of the Saranda Forest model, will identify permissible mining zones, ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas where mining will be strictly prohibited, assess cumulative environmental impacts and ecological carrying capacity, and lay down detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures. With the definition now operational, the court has ordered that no fresh mining leases be issued until the MPSM is finalised, a move officials say acts as a preventive shield against immediate ecological damage. The approach, they argue, ensures landscape-level conservation by treating the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge, preventing fragmentation, protecting groundwater recharge zones, checking desertification from the Thar, conserving biodiversity habitats, and safeguarding the Delhi-NCR region's critical green lungs. (ANI)
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