Aravalli Range: Congress makes serious allegations against the government; Jairam Ramesh says the new definition puts the existence of the Aravalli range at risk.

The Congress party on Monday leveled serious allegations against the central and state governments, accusing them of damaging the Aravalli mountain range. The party claims that the Aravalli's existence is under threat due to the government's policies. Congress argues that not only mining, but also the way real estate projects are being promoted, will cause further devastation to the already fragile ecosystem of the Aravallis.

What did the former minister say?

Regarding this, Congress General Secretary and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh wrote on the social media platform X, "The country is currently awaiting the Supreme Court's latest directives regarding the Aravallis. Here is further evidence that the new definition of the Aravallis will cause even more destruction to this already devastated ecosystem. The issue is not just mining – against the recommendations of the Forest Survey of India, the double-engine government of New Delhi and Jaipur is also opening the doors to real estate development."

The court stays the previous order.

In this matter, Congress opposed the new definition of the Aravallis. Congress alleges that the implementation of this new definition will remove more than 90 percent of the Aravalli range from legal protection. This would directly mean that these areas would be opened up for mining and other construction activities, leading to their destruction. However, after the controversy escalated, the central government instructed the states not to grant new mining leases within the mountain range. The Supreme Court also took suo motu cognizance of the ongoing dispute regarding the definition of the Aravallis. A hearing was held in the Supreme Court today on this matter. After the hearing, the court stayed its previous order.

What was the previous definition?

Earlier, on November 20, the apex court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges. The court had stayed the granting of new mining leases in the Aravalli region spread across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, until the expert committee's report was submitted. The Supreme Court had accepted the recommendations of a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. The committee had recommended that any landform in the Aravalli districts with a height of 100 meters or more above the surrounding land should be considered an 'Aravalli hill'. Furthermore, an 'Aravalli range' would be defined as an area where two or more such hills exist within a 500-meter radius.