Sonia Gandhi Criticizes Government's Definition Change for Aravalli Hills

Sonia Gandhi's Strong Critique of Government Policy

On Wednesday, Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, launched a fierce critique against the central government regarding its revised definition of the Aravalli mountain range, labeling it a death warrant for these hills. The Supreme Court had accepted this new definition on November 20, which reportedly states that any hill under 100 meters in height within this range is exempt from mining restrictions.

The Congress party shared an excerpt from Gandhi's article in a national daily, emphasizing the historical and geographical significance of the Aravalli range, which stretches from Gujarat through Rajasthan to Haryana.

Concerns Over Environmental Impact

Gandhi asserted that the Modi government has effectively signed a death warrant for the already ravaged hills, which have suffered from illegal mining. The new policy allows mining activities on hills below the 100-meter height threshold, inviting illegal miners and mafias to exploit 90 percent of the area that falls below this limit.

In a post on X, she highlighted a persistent disregard for environmental concerns in government policymaking. She also criticized deforestation and the displacement of local communities from forests, arguing that these actions violate the spirit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. Gandhi called for a policy shift and urged the government to retract amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 and the Forest Conservation Rules of 2022.

Supreme Court's Stance on Aravalli Hills

Earlier, on November 20, a Supreme Court bench led by former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai issued an order accepting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's definition of the Aravalli hills and mountain ranges. The court also endorsed recommendations for measures to prevent sustainable and illegal mining in the Aravalli region.