New Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): Congress senior leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday countered Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav on the clarification on mining in the Aravalli range, raising more questions and doubts over the government’s intentions.
This development comes after Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav clarified that only 0.19% or 277 sq km of the 1.44 lakh sq km of the Aravalli hills will be allowed for mining.
Jairam Ramesh said that still 0.19% of the land is also a “huge amount”. He also questioned the total area of the range, suggesting it is “deceptive” and not measured accurately.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said, “The very recent ‘clarifications’ given by the Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change on the Aravallis issue raise even more questions and doubts. The Minister says that only 0.19% of the 1.44 lakh sq kms of the Aravallis is presently under mining leases. This already amounts to 68,000 acres – which is a huge amount,” he said.
“However, the 1.44 lakh sq kms figure is deceptive – it spans the entire landmass of the 34 Aravalli districts identified by the Ministry in 4 states. This is the wrong denominator, since the denominator that should actually be used is the area within these districts, which is actually under the Aravallis. If the area under the Aravallis is used as a base, then 0.19% will turn out to be a very huge under-estimate,” he added.
Jairam Ramesh further questioned Bhupendra Yadav’s clarification, suggesting that there’s still no clarity about how much of these Aravalli areas will be excluded.
“In 15 of the 34 districts for which data is verifiable, the area under the Aravallis is 33% of the entire landmass. There is no clarity whatsoever about how much of these Aravalli areas will be excluded under the new definition and made available for mining and other developments,” he said.
https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2003328849837457456?s=20
“If local profiles are adopted as a baseline, as the Minister is suggesting, many 100+ metres high hills will get excluded from protective cover. With the revised definition most hilly tracts of the Aravallis in the Delhi NCR will get opened up for real estate development, adding to environmental stress,” Jairam Ramesh added.
Jairam Ramesh also slammed the centre for “redefining” the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, suggesting that the “fragmentation” can damage the Aravalli’s ecological value.
“The Minister, who is leading the move to redefine the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve to allow for mining, overlooks a fundamental concern that fragmentation of what is essentially an interconnected ecosystem will damage its ecological value. Such fragmentation elsewhere is already causing havoc,” he said.
“The Aravallis are part of our natural heritage and have great ecological value. They need substantial restoration and meaningful protection. Why is the Modi Govt hell bent on redefining them? To what end? For whose benefit? And why are the recommendations of a professional organisation like the Forest Survey of India being deliberately ignored and set aside?” he questioned the government.
Amid the pushback, Bhupendra Yadav clarified that just 277.89 sq km, about 0.19 per cent, of the total Aravalli landscape is open to mining, and no new mining leases will be granted until a detailed scientific study is completed.
“This definition related to the Aravalli hills is applicable only for mining purposes. It will be used solely in the context of mining. Mining is permitted only in 277.89 sq km out of the total 1,43,577 sq km of the Aravalli area,” Yadav said.
Yadav said mining activity in the Aravalli range would be allowed only in a very limited area, stressing that the mountain range continues to enjoy robust ecological protection. He also said that the apex court had appreciated the government’s Green Aravalli movement.
The Union Environment Ministry has also issued a detailed clarification, stating that no new mining leases will be allowed until a comprehensive study is undertaken, in line with the Supreme Court’s November 20 order.
The plan, to be prepared by ICFRE on the lines of the Saranda Forest model, will identify permissible mining zones, ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas where mining will be strictly prohibited, assess cumulative environmental impacts and ecological carrying capacity, and lay down detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures.
Yadav also explained that hill’s elevation of 100 metres also considers its entire spread of the base.
The Aravalli range is not just a natural barrier but also a source of major rivers, including the Chambal and the Sabarmati, which support agriculture and livelihoods. Its destruction could alter regional rainfall patterns, impacting Rajasthan’s climate. (ANI)
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