Centre imposes ban on new mining leases across Aravalli range

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday issued directions to states imposing a complete ban on granting new mining leases in the Aravalli range, reported PTI.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional areas and zones across the Aravallis where mining should be prohibited, beyond those already barred by the Centre.

The prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and is aimed at preserving the integrity of the ancient hill range, which stretches from Gujarat to the National Capital Region, a senior official said. The directions seek to curb unregulated mining and protect the region’s ecological continuity.

ICFRE has been asked to carry out the exercise while 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 ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas, and outline measures for restoration and rehabilitation. It will be placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultation.

Ongoing mining activities, officials said, will be regulated more stringently with additional restrictions to ensure environmental protection and adherence to sustainable mining practices. The government reiterated its commitment to the long-term protection of the Aravalli ecosystem, citing its role in preventing desertification, conserving biodiversity, recharging aquifers and providing vital environmental services.

The move follows a November 2025 Supreme Court order accepting a uniform legal definition of the Aravalli Hills and Aravalli Range, based on the recommendations of a committee led by the Environment Ministry. Under the definition, an “Aravalli Hill” is a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above the surrounding terrain, while an “Aravalli Range” refers to a cluster of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.

The Congress, however, has alleged that the decision could open the door to large-scale mining and cause irreversible environmental damage. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the government’s recent “clarifications” on the Aravallis raised serious concerns. He questioned the rationale behind redefining the range and alleged that expert recommendations, including those of the Forest Survey of India, were being ignored.