Politics & Policy

The Supreme Court of India has approved a revised definition for the Aravalli hills that environmental experts and legal advisors warn could expose vast stretches of the mountain range to increased mining activity. The new classification, recommended by a committee headed by the Union Environment Secretary and ordered on November 20, defines an Aravalli hill as any landform rising at least 100 meters above local relief, with hills within 500 meters treated collectively. This approach contrasts sharply with earlier technical suggestions from the Forest Survey of India and other agencies that proposed lower thresholds, such as a 4.57-degree slope and 30-meter height. Critics, including amicus curiae K. Parameswar, argue the stricter criteria are too narrow and threaten the ecological continuity of the range. This legal controversy unfolds against a backdrop of severe illegal mining pressures in Rajasthan, which hosts 560 kilometers of the 800-kilometer-long Aravalli range across 20 districts. Data indicates that while these districts hold less than 45% of the state's mining leases, they account for more than 77% of all First Information Reports (FIRs) related to illegal mining between 2020 and 2023. Newsletter Over the past seven years, Rajasthan has registered 7,173 FIRs and recorded 71,322 instances of illegal mining, with the Aravalli belt bearing the brunt of these violations despite contributing only 40% of the state's total mineral output. In response to the escalating crisis and the contentious reclassification, the Union government has imposed a freeze on granting new mining leases in the Aravalli landscape pending a comprehensive study. The Rajasthan government, currently led by Chief Minister Bhajan Ramlal Sharma, asserts its commitment to protecting the region, citing a reduction in reported incidents and arrests under its tenure compared to the previous administration. However, widespread protests have erupted across the state, driven by fears that the new definition will undermine existing protections and accelerate ecological degradation in a region vital for groundwater recharge and climate stability