Government Acts After Supreme Court Warning to Protect India’s Oldest Mountain System
In a major decision that would help in environmental conservation, the Union government has asked the state administrations to entirely stop the processing of new mining leases in the Aravalli range. This has been stated to be in response to rising concerns on environmental damage and unorganized mining, along with public misunderstanding on the recategorization of Aravalli hills.
The order, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), is common to the entire Aravalli range from Gujarat to NCR. The government stated that new mining permissions won’t be issued before a long-term science-based policy for sustainable mining is developed.
The Supreme Court ’s Involvement Motivates Polic
The Centre’s notification is in strict accordance with the recent Supreme Court verdict that imposed a moratorium on new mining leases in the Aravalis. The Supreme Court is of the view that no mining operation can take place in the absence of the Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), which is being drawn up.
The court emphasized the significance of the Aravallis as a “natural ecological shield,” that is crucial for preventing the desertification of the region and ensuring the maintenance of biodiversity and climatic patterns of the northwestern part of the Indian region. Although the court did not lay down a complete ban on mining activities, it was made clear that the rules for the proposed mining are bound by proper environmental norms.
The ICFRE Charged With Finding Sensitive Areas
In a bid to enhance conservation efforts, the Centre has assigned the role of locating other sensitive sites in the Aravalli area where mining operations are to be banned altogether to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). This will in addition to the sites that are currently banned by law.
In those mines already in operation, the state governments have been directed to strictly enforce environmental protection measures and comply with the judicial order.
General Discussions and Environmental Issues
This comes against the background of strong reactions from the public, with environmental activists and political opposition leaders expressing concerns about the potential weakening of protection levels afforded to the Aravalli ranges. This is due to modifications in definitions used in classifying hills from a scientific perspective that could render substantial extensions vulnerable to development.
The government, however, argues that this new mining ban enforces its commitment to conservation by closing potential misuse of definitional loopholes until an appropriate regulatory environment is established.
Why the Aravallis Matter One of the oldest ranges in the world, the Aravallis support very important functions relating to groundwater, forests, and climate in the regions of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Unabated mining activities could irreparably harm such functions, and thus this new initiative by the Centre is very important for protecting the environment.
