New Delhi: In a sweeping conservation move, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has directed states to impose a complete ban on the grant of any new mining leases across the entire Aravalli range, stretching from the National Capital Region to Gujarat.
The prohibition applies uniformly across the Aravalli landscape and is aimed at preserving the continuity of the ancient hill system, which has come under sustained pressure from illegal and unregulated mining. The ministry said the directions are intended to safeguard the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge and curb environmental degradation that has led to deforestation, groundwater depletion and loss of biodiversity.
In addition, the ministry has asked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify further areas where mining should be prohibited, over and above zones already barred by the Centre. This exercise will be based on ecological, geological and landscape-level considerations and is expected to significantly expand the area under protection.
ICFRE has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive, science-based Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli region. The plan will assess cumulative environmental impacts and ecological carrying capacity, identify conservation-critical and ecologically sensitive zones, and lay down measures for restoration and rehabilitation. The draft plan will be placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultations.
For mines already in operation, state governments have been directed to ensure strict compliance with environmental safeguards and Supreme Court orders. Existing mining activities will be subject to tighter regulation and additional restrictions to ensure adherence to sustainable mining practices.
The Aravalli range plays a critical role in preventing desertification, recharging aquifers and providing ecosystem services to large parts of north-western India. The latest directive underscores the Centre’s intent to adopt a long-term, landscape-level approach to protect the Aravalli ecosystem while tightening oversight of mining activity.