The Last Breath Of The Aravallis? Centre Steps In With A Mining Ban

The Union environment ministry has directed Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat to impose a blanket ban on the grant of any new mining leases across the Aravalli range, citing urgent environmental protection needs and mounting concerns over illegal extraction. The move seeks to safeguard one of India’s oldest mountain systems and its threatened biodiversity corridors.

The order arrives weeks after the Supreme Court finalized a uniform legal definition of the Aravalli Hills and Range—classifying landforms rising at least 100 metres above surrounding terrain as hills—prompting debate over low-lying areas and enforcement gaps. The Centre’s ban aims to preempt ecological dilution while a science-based plan is prepared.

States have also been instructed to tighten regulation and monitoring of ongoing mining activities, ensuring strict compliance with court mandates and environmental safeguards. The directive prioritizes restoring degraded landscapes, controlling dust and quarrying impacts, and preventing encroachment into sensitive habitats and recharge zones.

In parallel, the environment ministry has tasked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) with developing a science-based sustainable mining blueprint for the Aravallis, balancing conservation imperatives with livelihoods and material supply chains. This framework is expected to inform future decisions once the moratorium is reviewed.

Key Highlights

• Complete ban on new mining leases across the Aravalli range from Delhi to Gujarat
• States ordered to strengthen oversight and enforce Supreme Court directions on existing mines
• Uniform definition of Aravalli hills set by Supreme Court at a 100-metre elevation threshold
• ICFRE asked to draft a science-based sustainable mining plan for the range

Focus on protecting biodiversity corridors, aquifers, and fragile ecosystems from illegal mining

Context And Impact

The Aravallis serve as a critical ecological buffer against desertification, filter air and dust for NCR cities, and host vulnerable flora and fauna. By halting new leases, the Centre signals a conservation-first stance while attempting to rectify long-standing enforcement lapses that have eroded public trust and environmental health.

Sources: Financial Express, Telegraph India, Business Standard