Following protests in parts of India against the reclassification of the Aravalli mountain range by the central government, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Monday sought to allay fears of any environmental damage to the nearly 2 billion year old mountain range and assured that the government is committed to keeping the hills safe.
According to the Union Minister, this reclassification has been done to bring uniformity in the enforcement of environmental laws across states, as earlier each state had its own classification to allow mining.
Similarly, he also informed that only 0.19 percent of the entire mountain range has been opened for mining and no new mines are being opened. Out of the total 1.44 lakh square kilometer area, 277.89 square kilometer area is likely to be affected. He said, “Earlier, due to lack of clear definition of Aravalli region, there were a lot of irregularities in mining permissions, which are now being tried to be rectified.”
He also said that the definition has been made more stringent to protect the Green Aravalli Wall. The Union Minister highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Center has made considerable progress in environmental protection and resolution of issues. He said, “The Green Aravalli movement and its related issues have been taken forward in recent years under the leadership of the Prime Minister. That is why in 2014 there were only 24 Ramsar sites in the country, the number of which has now increased to 96 and Of these, Sultanpur, Bhindawas, Asola, Siliserh and Sambhar Ramsar sites in the Aravalli region were declared during the tenure of our government. The decision also said that steps should be taken for the conservation and preservation of the Aravalli ranges, especially in the areas of Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
“Mining of any kind is strictly prohibited in more than 90% of the Aravali region,” he said during an exclusive interview. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa said about 98% of the mountain range is protected, and the remaining 1-2% “will not cause any harm to Rajasthan.” Yesterday, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav had also said that about 98% of the area in Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat is already protected and reserved. 1-2% area will not cause any harm to Rajasthan.” Many locals and villagers living near the mountain range have also started protests in different parts of the mountain range to protect the hills.
The Congress party has also alleged that the new definition, recently accepted by the Supreme Court, will “destroy the entire ecosystem” of the region by opening up the area for mining. Strongly opposing the new definition, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that if anyone even touches the Aravalis, he will be considered an “enemy of this country, of this entire region”.
Congress leader Pawan Kheda told ANI, “The Aravali mountain range protects the agriculture of Delhi, Haryana and this entire region from the sand coming from the Thar Desert. The Aravali mountain range contributes significantly in maintaining this entire balance. If anyone even touches the Aravali range, he will be considered an enemy of this country, of this entire region.”
Party leader Sachin Pilot said that the party will urge the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, as the four states in which this mountain range is located are all BJP ruled states. He said, “We have to urge the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, because all four governments in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi are of BJP. The central government is also of BJP. Therefore, when these four governments are working together, they should urge the Court to provide protection and ensure that The expansion of the desert will be stopped, pollution will be stopped and our biodiversity will be protected, and the Aravalli ranges provide protection to the entire NCR.
Also in Rajasthan, members of the Congress-backed National Student Union of India (NSUI) and other organizations demonstrated in front of the District Collector office in Udaipur, with people climbing over the barricades put up in front of the office and raising slogans.
According to Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, the central government is adopting a scientific approach, involving the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), and creating a sustainable mining plan (MPSM) for the entire area following a Supreme Court order.
The plan to be prepared by ICFRE on the lines of the Saranda Forest Model will identify permissible mining areas, ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas where mining will be strictly prohibited, assess cumulative environmental impacts and ecological carrying capacity, and prescribe detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures.
The court has ordered that no new mining leases be issued until the MPSM is finalized, which officials claim will act as a preventive shield against immediate ecological damage. They argue that this approach ensures conservation at the landscape level by treating the Aravalli ranges as a continuous geological chain, prevents fragmentation, protects groundwater recharge areas, prevents desertification from the Thar, protects biodiversity habitats Conserves and protects important green areas of the Delhi-NCR region. The Aravalli Range is a 670 km long mountain range located in the north-western part of India. The highest peak of this range has been recorded at 1,722 metres.
