The government is committed to the safety of Aravali, said – Bhupendra Yadav – Congress is spreading lies

New Delhi. Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Monday accused the Congress of spreading ‘misinformation’ and ‘lies’ on the issue of new definition of Aravali, saying only 0.19 per cent of the mountain range can be legally mined. Minister Yadav said in a press conference here that the Narendra Modi government is ‘fully committed’ to the protection and restoration of Aravali.

“The Congress allowed large-scale illegal mining in Rajasthan during its rule, but it is now spreading confusion, misinformation and lies on the issue,” he alleged. He said the new definition, approved by the Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Environment Ministry, aims to ‘curb illegal mining’ and allow ‘legal sustainable mining’ and that too if the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) prepares a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM). Is.

Sources said ICFRE will identify areas where mining can be allowed only under exceptional and scientifically justified circumstances. He said the study will also determine ecologically sensitive, conservation-critical and restoration-priority areas within the Aravalli landscape where mining will be strictly prohibited.

Yadav said legally permitted mining would currently take place only in a very small part of the Aravalli region, which is about 0.19 per cent of the total geographical area of ​​the 37 Aravalli districts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat. Five districts of Delhi are in the Aravalli region where no mining is allowed.

Yadav said that as per the apex court’s directions, no new mining lease will be granted in the Aravalli region until a sustainable mining management plan for the entire landscape is prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Existing mines can continue operations only if they strictly adhere to the sustainable mining norms set by the committee.

In November 2025, the apex court accepted a uniform legal definition of the Aravalli Hills and the Aravalli Range on the recommendation of a committee led by the Environment Ministry. Under this definition, ‘Aravalli Hills’ is a landform with a height of at least 100 meters above its surrounding terrain and ‘Aravalli Range’ is a group of two or more such hills within 500 meters of each other.

Critics, including environmentalists and some scientists, argue that many ecologically important parts of the Aravalli system do not meet the 100 m threshold (for example, lower peaks, slopes, foothills, and recharge areas), yet are important for groundwater recharge, biodiversity support, and soil stability. They warned that areas excluded under the new definition could be opened up to mining, construction and commercial activities, undermining long-standing security and ecological sustainability.