Government says new definition strengthens protection, mining to remain tightly regulated under court supervision

The Union government has said that no new mining licences will be issued in the Aravalli region until a comprehensive sustainability study is completed, seeking to allay concerns over environmental damage following a recent Supreme Court order redefining the Aravalli hills and ranges.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) said mining activity in the ecologically sensitive Aravallis will continue to be strictly regulated, with fresh permissions placed on hold until the preparation of a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining. The assurance was given amid public debate triggered by the Supreme Court’s November 20 order clarifying the definition of the Aravalli hill system.

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been tasked with preparing a district-wise sustainability plan for the entire Aravalli region. “Till the study is done, no fresh licence for mining will be given,” he said at a press briefing, adding that the top court has also directed the preparation of such a plan. Any future activity, he said, would require clearance based on the study’s recommendations.

Centre Assures Strict Environmental Safeguards
The Supreme Court accepted the recommendations of a committee under the environment ministry, which defined an Aravalli hill as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metre or more above its local relief. An Aravalli range was defined as a collection of two or more such hills located within 500 metre of each other.

The revised definition sparked concerns that it could open more land to mining, construction and commercial activity. However, the government has rejected these claims, stating that the purpose of the definition is to strengthen regulation and ensure uniform enforcement across states.

In a statement issued on December 21, the ministry said it was incorrect to assume that mining would be permitted on all landforms below 100 metre. It clarified that the definition explicitly covers entire hill systems, including slopes, associated landforms and intervening areas, thereby protecting hill clusters and their ecological continuity.

According to the government, areas falling within the Aravalli hills or ranges remain excluded from new mining leases. Existing mining operations may continue only if they comply with sustainable mining norms and environmental safeguards laid down by authorities.

At present, mining activity is limited to about 277.89 square kilometre of the Aravalli region, out of a total area of roughly 1,43,577 square kilometre, the minister said. The government reiterated that afforestation, eco-sensitive zone notifications and court-mandated oversight will remain central to preserving the Aravallis as a critical ecological barrier.