Is the Aravalli Ecosystem at Risk? Congress Raises Alarm Over Government Actions
Concerns Over Aravalli Ecosystem
New Delhi: On Monday, the Congress party expressed serious concerns regarding the potential environmental damage caused by the double-engine government’s initiatives in the Aravalli region, particularly in relation to mining and real estate development.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary and former environment minister, highlighted that these actions contradict the guidelines set forth by the Forest Survey of India.
As the nation anticipates the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions regarding the Aravalli hills, new evidence has emerged indicating that the revised definition of these hills could exacerbate the existing ecological crisis.
Ramesh stated in a post on X that the government’s push for real estate development, alongside mining, is being pursued against expert recommendations.
The Congress party has consistently opposed the redefinition of the Aravalli hills, arguing that it could lead to significant destruction of the region by facilitating mining and other commercial projects.
They claim that over 90% of the Aravalli hills will lose their protected status under this new definition, thereby allowing for increased mining and development activities. In response to the controversy, the Centre has directed states to impose a complete ban on new mining leases within the mountain range.
In light of the ongoing debate regarding the redefinition of the Aravalli hills, the Supreme Court has taken notice of the issue and is scheduled to address it on Monday.
On November 20, the Supreme Court had approved a standardized definition for the Aravalli hills and prohibited the issuance of new mining leases in the areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat until expert evaluations are completed.
The court accepted the recommendations from a committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) aimed at safeguarding this ancient mountain system.
The committee proposed that the Aravalli Hill be defined as any landform within designated districts that rises at least 100 meters above local relief, while the Aravalli Range would consist of two or more such hills located within 500 meters of each other.