Ashok Gehlot Questions BJP's Endorsement of Rejected 100-Meter Formula

In a recent statement, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot questioned the BJP government's endorsement of a '100-meter' formula concerning the Aravalli region, which had been previously rejected by the Supreme Court. He accused the ruling party of risking the state's future by potentially allowing mining mafias to exploit the area. Gehlot highlighted the implications of the new guidelines and expressed concerns over illegal mining activities. His remarks have sparked a debate on environmental protection and governance in Rajasthan, raising questions about the motivations behind the government's actions.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 22, 2025, 10:23 IST

Gehlot Raises Concerns Over Aravalli Controversy

Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has raised questions regarding the recent endorsement of the '100-meter' formula by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government amidst ongoing disputes related to the Aravalli region. He criticized the ruling party for allegedly attempting to hand over the Aravalli to mining mafias, thereby jeopardizing the state's future.

Gehlot's reference to the 100-meter formula pertains to recent recommendations made by a committee established under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which the Supreme Court accepted on November 20.

According to the new guidelines, the Aravalli mountain range is defined as a topography located in specified Aravalli districts, where the height exceeds 100 meters above the local terrain and is within 500 meters of two or more hills.

He reiterated that the new guidelines would lead to the destruction of 90 percent of the state's mountain range. In response, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that the Supreme Court-approved guidelines would classify over 90 percent of the Aravalli area as a 'protected zone.'

Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore dismissed Gehlot's claims as 'baseless and misleading,' asserting that the new framework is 'stricter and more scientific' than before.

In light of Rathore's comments, Gehlot pointed out that a specialized committee in 2003 had recommended the '100-meter' formula concerning livelihoods and employment. He noted that the then-state government submitted an affidavit to the court on February 16, 2010, which was rejected by the court within three days.

Gehlot emphasized that his previous government accepted the judiciary's ruling and subsequently mapped the Aravalli region through the Indian Forest Survey.

He mentioned that the Congress government had directed the use of remote sensing to detect illegal mining, allocating a budget of seven crore rupees for surveys across 15 districts.

Furthermore, he stated that police superintendents and district collectors were directly tasked with curbing illegal mining activities. Gehlot questioned why the current Rajasthan government supported the same formula that the court had previously rejected in 2010, suggesting that there might be pressure or a larger conspiracy behind this decision.