UPSC-Relevant News Items

1. Union Minister claims new definition protects over 90% of Aravalli Range from mining.

Page: 9

Summary:

• • The Union Minister defended the new definition for the Aravalli ranges, claiming that over 90% of the area will now be protected from new mining leases.
• • The definition specifies that a landform must be at an elevation of 100m or more above local relief, considering the hill's base spread, to qualify as Aravalli structure.
• • This change addresses previous concerns where substantial sections across the four Aravalli states (Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat) were left vulnerable due to a highly restrictive height definition.

Additional Facts:

• • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) determines the classification and spatial extent of ecologically sensitive areas like the Aravallis, exercising its mandate under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to regulate industrial activities, including mining.
• • The debate centers on balancing economic demands (construction materials via mining) against ecological necessities, as the Aravallis act as a critical groundwater recharge zone and a natural barrier against the expansion of the Thar desert towards the NCR. The Supreme Court has previously intervened to curb extensive illegal mining based on concerns over environmental degradation and depletion of forest cover.

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