Following the controversy surrounding the recent Supreme Court order regarding the new definition of the Aravalli hills based on a "100-metre" criterion, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav said the directive aims to restrict illegal mining. He added that the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will develop a detailed, district-wise conservation plan for the Aravalli region in accordance with the Supreme Court's order.

“The Supreme Court order pertains to mining and cannot be interpreted for other purposes such as residential development or restriction of agricultural lands,” Yadav clarified to reporters in Delhi on Monday. He accused opposition leaders of spreading misinformation and claimed that the previous Congress-led government initiated illegal mining in the Aravalli areas.

The Union government has announced a freeze on new mining leases in the region, as mandated by the Supreme Court. This freeze is part of a framework established by the court to provide stronger protections for the mountain system and to ensure that no new mining leases will be granted until a comprehensive management plan is finalized. The ICFRE will be tasked with preparing a district-wise plan for the 37 districts where the Aravalli hills are located.

The court has allowed mining under exceptional conditions. “If permitted under exceptional and scientifically justified circumstances, the order includes a thorough analysis of cumulative environmental impact, which encompasses detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation,” explained Yadav. Additionally, mining may be allowed in the case of strategic minerals and needs related to atomic energy.

Yadav also provided details on the current mining areas in the Aravalli hills. “There are currently 217 square kms under mining out of a total of 1,47,577 square kms in the Aravalli region, which is less than 2%,” he stated.