‘There was extensive illegal mining during Congress period’: Bhupender Yadav on Aravallis row

New Delhi: Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said that large-scale illegal mining took place in the Aravalli range during the Congress period, forcing citizens and environmental groups to approach the courts, and asserted that the present government is committed to protecting the fragile ecosystem through scientific and sustainable measures.

In an interview with IANS, while responding to a question on the state of mining in the Aravallis during previous Congress governments, Minister Yadav said, “There was extensive illegal mining, which is why people approached the court. This petition also dates back to that period. Now, with the Supreme Court’s decision, sustainable, scientific, eco-friendly and limited measures will be implemented to protect the Aravallis.”

The minister underlined that the Supreme Court’s intervention was necessitated due to unchecked and unlawful mining activities that caused severe environmental damage in the Aravalli hills, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and a crucial ecological barrier for northern India.

Minister Yadav reiterated that the present government is fully committed to saving the Aravallis and has taken decisive steps in line with the apex court’s directions. “The government is fully committed to saving the Aravallis. All necessary steps will be taken to protect them. The Supreme Court has also delivered its judgment,” he said.

He explained that the court has laid down a clear definition of the Aravalli range and Aravalli hills specifically for mining-related purposes, with the primary focus on stopping illegal mining. “The biggest issue in defining mining is stopping illegal mining. Until a scientific management plan is prepared, no new mining will be permitted,” Yadav said.

The minister added that the responsibility of preparing this comprehensive management plan has been entrusted to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). “So, the government is fully committed, and we are actively involved in this process,” he said.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2018 observations, Yadav noted that the extent of damage caused by mining had already been acknowledged by the judiciary. In 2018, the Supreme Court said 31 hills had completely vanished due to mining. “That is precisely why a management plan will be prepared for every district,” he said, emphasising that future decisions will be guided by ecological sensitivity and scientific assessment.

The minister’s remarks come amid sharp political reactions to the Centre’s approach to the Aravallis.

Earlier, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scathing attack on the Central government, accusing it of hatching a “well-planned conspiracy” to dilute environmental safeguards and facilitate mining in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli range.

Gehlot alleged that the move to redefine the Aravallis using a “100-metre” criterion was part of a larger strategy. “This is part of a larger design to capture institutions and hand over the Aravallis to the mining mafia,” he claimed.

The Centre, however, has rejected such allegations, maintaining that the Supreme Court’s directions aim to curb illegal mining, ensure sustainable development, and protect the Aravallis through a transparent, scientific, and legally sound framework.

IANS