On the issue related to Aravalli ranges, Congress on Thursday alleged that there is no coordination between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global statements on environmental concerns and his local level actions.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh also claimed that more than 90 per cent of the Aravalis would not be protected under the new definition and could be opened up for mining, real estate and other activities that would further damage the already devastated ecosystem.
Ramesh posted on ‘X’, ‘The redefinition of Aravali by Modi government, which is contrary to the opinion of all experts, is dangerous and destructive. According to official figures of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), only 8.7 per cent of the Aravalli hills are more than 20 meters high and are more than 100 meters high.’
“If we take all the Aravalli hills identified by the FSI, not even one per cent is more than 100 metres,” he said. FSI believes, and rightly so, that height limits are questionable and all Aravallis should be protected, regardless of height.
Ramesh claimed that this means that more than 90 per cent of the Aravallis will not be protected under the new definition and could be opened up for mining, real estate and other activities that will further damage the already devastated ecosystem. He says that this is the plain and simple truth which cannot be hidden.
“This is another example of the Modi government’s determined attack on ecological balance which includes loosening pollution standards, weakening environment and forest laws, weakening the National Green Tribunal and other institutions of environmental governance,” he said. ,
The Congress general secretary alleged, “When it comes to environmental concerns, there is no coordination between the Prime Minister’s words at the global level and his actions at the local level.” The Center on Wednesday issued instructions to states to impose a complete ban on granting new mining leases in the Aravalli ranges.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional areas and zones in the entire Aravalli region.
