The Congress on Thursday claimed that the redefinition of the Aravalli range will render more than 90 per cent of the hills unsafe and open up to mining and other activities.
In a post on Twitter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said there is no disconnect between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “global statements and local action” when it comes to environmental concerns.
He also accused the government of carrying out a systematic attack on the ecological balance by weakening environmental protection laws and relaxing pollution norms.
According to the new definition, “Aravalli Hills” is a landform whose height is at least 100 meters higher than its surrounding terrain and “Aravalli Range” is a group of two or more such hills located within 500 meters of each other.
Jairam Ramesh said, “The new definition of the Aravali ranges given by the Modi government, which is contrary to all expert opinions, is dangerous and disastrous.”
Ramesh said, “As per authentic data of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), only 8.7 per cent of the hills more than 20 meters high in the Aravalli range are more than 100 meters high. If we take all the Aravalli hills identified by FSI, not even 1 per cent of them are more than 100 meters high. FSI believes, and rightly so, that the height limits are ambiguous and All Aravali ranges should be protected, regardless of altitude.”
“In terms of area, this means that more than 90 per cent of the Aravali ranges will not be protected by the new redefinition and could be opened up to mining, real estate and other activities that will further damage the already devastated ecosystem,” the former environment minister said.
Ramesh said, this clear and simple truth cannot be hidden.
“This is yet another example of the Modi government’s systematic attack on ecological balance, which includes relaxing pollution standards, weakening environment and forest laws, disempowering the National Green Tribunal and other institutions of environmental governance,” he said.
“There is no connection between the Prime Minister’s global talk and his local actions on environmental concerns,” the Congress leader said.
Following the controversy over redefinition of the Aravalli range, the Center on Wednesday issued directions to states to impose a complete ban on granting new mining leases within the mountain range.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to identify additional areas and zones in the entire Aravalli region where mining should be banned in addition to the areas already banned for mining by the Centre.