Aravallis: Centre directs states to impose complete ban on new mining leases

Centre directs states to impose complete ban on granting new mining leases in Aravallis

The Centre on Wednesday has directed all Aravalli states to impose a complete ban on the grant of new mining leases in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli range, citing environmental concerns and the need for uniform safeguards to protect one of the country’s oldest mountain systems.

This prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and is intended to preserve the integrity of the range. The directions are aimed at safeguarding the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region and at stopping all unregulated mining activities.

Further, the MoEF&CC has directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional areas/zones across the entire Aravallis where mining should be prohibited, in addition to the areas already prohibited by the Centre, based on ecological, geological, and landscape-level considerations.

ICFRE has been directed to undertake this exercise as part of preparing a comprehensive, science-based Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli region. The Plan, which will be placed in the public domain for broad stakeholder consultation, will assess the cumulative environmental impact and ecological carrying capacity, identify ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas, and outline measures for restoration and rehabilitation.

This exercise by the Centre would further expand the coverage of protected and prohibited mining areas across the entire Aravallis, taking into account local topography, ecology, and biodiversity.

The Centre has also directed that, for mines already in operation, the concerned State Governments ensure strict compliance with all environmental safeguards and conform to the Supreme Court's order. Ongoing mining activities are to be regulated stringently, with additional restrictions, to ensure environmental protection and adherence to sustainable mining practices.

The Government of India stands fully committed towards long-term protection of the Aravalli ecosystem, recognising its critical role in preventing desertification, conserving biodiversity, recharging aquifers, and providing environmental services for the region.