Aravalli definition due to illegal mining during Congress era in Rajasthan: Minister

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said that the problem of illegal mining in the Aravallis primarily existed under the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan and claimed that all the pictures of mines being circulated online are from the Congress era.

Speaking to India Today TV, Yadav explained that under the new definition of the Aravallis, a cluster of two or more hills that are at least 100 metres high and located within 500 metres of each other - along with all landforms, irrespective of their height, in the entire intervening area, including valleys and slopes - will be considered part of the protected range.

The Environment Minister then said that such a definition was the need of the hour as there was "rampant illegal mining" in Rajasthan. He added that most of the mines operating in the Aravallis, which are spread across four states, are concentrated in Rajasthan.

"Today, out of the 1,008 mines that are running in Rajasthan, 700 mines were set up under Ashok Gehlot," Yadav told India Today TV.

Yadav further said that when mining leases were handed out indiscriminately, the Supreme Court intervened and put a stay, observing that the core characteristics of the Aravallis would be destroyed.

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