In a major step to curb illegal mining and strengthen environmental protection, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has directed all concerned states to impose a complete ban on granting any new mining leases across the Aravalli range, stretching from Gujarat to Delhi.
The Ministry said the ban will apply uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape, with the aim of preserving the mountain range as a continuous geological ridge from Gujarat to the National Capital Region and putting an end to unregulated mining activities.
Further tightening conservation measures, the MoEF&CC has asked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional areas across the Aravallis where mining should be prohibited, beyond the zones already restricted by the Centre. This identification will be based on ecological, geological and landscape-level factors.
ICFRE has also been tasked with preparing a comprehensive, science-based Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli region. The plan will be placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultation and will assess cumulative environmental impacts, ecological carrying capacity, ecologically sensitive zones and conservation-critical areas, along with measures for restoration and rehabilitation.
Officials said the exercise will further expand the areas protected from mining across the Aravallis, taking into account local ecology, biodiversity and terrain.
For mines that are already operational, the Centre has instructed state governments to ensure strict compliance with environmental safeguards and adherence to Supreme Court directions. Existing mining activities will be closely regulated, with additional curbs to enforce sustainable mining practices.
Reiterating its commitment, the government said it remains fully dedicated to protecting the Aravalli ecosystem, which plays a vital role in preventing desertification, conserving biodiversity, recharging groundwater and supporting critical environmental services.
The decision is being seen as one of the strongest policy measures in recent years to safeguard the Aravallis, among the country’s oldest and most ecologically sensitive mountain ranges.