The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recently issued directions to the States for a complete ban on the grant of any new mining leases in the Aravallis. This prohibition
applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape. Further, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been asked to identify additional areas or zones in the entire Aravalli range where mining should be prohibited, over and above the areas already restricted.
The Opposition has been spreading deliberate misinformation about the new, uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and range. No less than the Supreme Court has acknowledged the Modi government’s efforts to check rampant illegal mining. The Opposition and the so-called climate lobby claim that the new definition dilutes environmental protection of the Aravallis, which is false. In fact, the new definition strengthens protection by introducing a uniform, scientific and enforceable framework, resolving decades of ambiguity caused by multiple conflicting definitions.
The other baseless allegation by the Congress Party and its cheerleaders is that the new definition opens up 90 per cent of the Aravalli region for mining, which is completely misleading. The new definition does not permit mining automatically in any area. It only standardises what constitutes the Aravalli hills and ranges using scientific and geomorphological criteria. The new definition does not dilute, suspend or override any of the following: the Environment Protection Act, 1986; the Forest Conservation Act, 1980; the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; and the EIA Notification. All statutory environmental, forest and wildlife clearances remain mandatory.
Any mining or construction, whether inside or outside the defined hill ranges, continues to require full statutory approvals. No land is automatically released for mining due to the new definition. New mining can be permitted only after a Mining Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is prepared by ICFRE, on the lines of the Saranda Forest model in Jharkhand. ICFRE has yet to identify district-wise ecologically sensitive, conservation-critical and restoration-priority areas across the 37 districts. Until this process is completed, bogus claims by fake activists that “90 per cent of the Aravallis are opened up” have no factual basis.
The allegation that the new definition allows mining in all landforms below 100 metres height is yet another reckless claim, and it is incorrect. All States unanimously agreed to adopt the “100 metres above local relief” criterion, which has been in force in Rajasthan since 9 January 2006. So why has the Congress suddenly decided to outrage?
All landforms enclosed within the lowest binding contour encircling hills of 100 metres or more—irrespective of individual height or slope—are excluded from mining leases. The Aravalli range is defined to include all landforms within 500 metres of two adjoining hills of 100 metres or more. All such areas are excluded from mining, regardless of height.
Another allegation by the fake climate lobby is that a uniform definition of the Aravallis was unnecessary, which is totally wrong. Earlier reliance on revenue records and local descriptions led to confusion, selective enforcement and promotion of illegal mining. A uniform definition ensures clarity, consistency and effective enforcement. The new definition is not arbitrary. The definition agreed upon by the Supreme Court is science-based, grounded in continuous hill formations, ridgelines and identifiable geomorphological features—not vague administrative labels.
The other bogus claim by the Modi-hating lobby is that ecologically sensitive areas outside the defined hill ranges are left unprotected, which is false. All such areas continue to be governed by existing environmental, forest and wildlife laws.
The allegation that the new definition prioritises development over environmental protection is also false. It strengthens environmental governance by making protection precise, science-driven and enforceable, reducing regulatory ambiguity and misuse. The new Aravalli definition is about stronger conservation through scientific clarity, not dilution. The Opposition’s campaign is driven by distortion, not facts. The Aravallis need protection rooted in science—not fear-mongering politics by Congress and its extended ecosystem.
In fact, the Supreme Court itself emphasised that this move promotes sustainable mining while preventing illegal activities, endorsing the Modi government’s vision for a “Green Aravalli”. One prominent Opposition lie is the claim that the redefinition opens vast swathes to mining. Protests backed by the Samajwadi Party and Congress have erupted with slogans like “Save Aravalli”, fuelled by misinformation that hills below 100 metres will be razed. However, the Centre has imposed a complete ban on new mining leases across the entire Aravalli range, expanding protected zones and rejecting any relaxation for non-forest activities.
This directive, issued amid the controversy, underscores that assumptions of widespread mining are baseless. The Aravallis will remain protected; this is Prime Minister Modi’s resolve. Historical context further exposes the hypocrisy. During Congress rule in Rajasthan under Ashok Gehlot, illegal mining flourished, with thousands of hectares denuded without oversight. The Congress is spreading confusion to deflect from its own failures. The current standardisation, followed by Rajasthan since 2006, actually curbs the very plunder that occurred under previous Opposition-ruled regimes.
A detailed analysis reveals that the Opposition’s 90 per cent figure is a gross misrepresentation; the vast majority of the Aravalli range remains under stringent forest laws, with mining restricted to pre-existing, regulated sites only. Mining is permitted in just 0.19 per cent of the designated area, and that too only after a plethora of statutory approvals. Even the Forest Survey of India (FSI), often cited by critics, has supported slope-based norms that complement the height criterion, debunking claims of ecological dilution.
This pattern of fear-mongering is not new. In 2023, similar outcries over forest law amendments were proven unfounded, as those changes aimed at sustainable development without compromising core protections. The Opposition’s strategy appears to be one of deflection—amplifying distortions to undermine the Modi government’s environmental credentials, even as its own track record in States where it rules allowed real-estate encroachments.
Contrary to the Opposition’s doom-and-gloom narrative, the Modi government has implemented a multifaceted strategy to safeguard the Aravallis, blending policy reforms, restoration projects and enforcement mechanisms. Since 2014, conservation has been a cornerstone of the National Democratic Alliance’s agenda, with investments in green infrastructure yielding tangible results.
At the forefront is the Aravalli Green Wall Project, an ambitious 1,400-kilometre-long, 5-kilometre-wide green belt initiative launched to combat desertification and restore degraded lands. Modelled on Africa’s Great Green Wall, this project aims to rejuvenate 7,000 kilometres of the range through afforestation, soil conservation and biodiversity enhancement. By 2030, it is projected to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land, directly benefiting the Aravallis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally participated in tree-planting drives under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, integrating it with the Green Wall to symbolise national commitment.
Enforcement has been ramped up significantly. The Central government has cracked down on illegal mining, with over 1,000 operations shut down in Rajasthan and Haryana since 2020. Satellite monitoring and drone surveillance, introduced under the Modi regime, have enabled real-time detection of violations, leading to record seizures and prosecutions. The complete ban on new mining leases, announced in December 2025, extends protections to ecologically sensitive areas, with ICFRE tasked with mapping and expanding buffer zones.
This move directly counters the Opposition’s claims, ensuring no relaxation for commercial exploitation. Policy innovations further bolster conservation. The 2023 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, far from weakening safeguards, prioritise sustainable practices and community involvement in Aravalli regions. The government has also integrated Aravalli protection into broader schemes like the National Mission for Green India, allocating significant funds for watershed management and eco-tourism that preserves rather than exploits. In Haryana, where erstwhile Congress governments previously kept the Aravallis out of protected status to favour real estate, the current BJP government has reversed course, designating vast tracts as reserved forests.
Biodiversity efforts by the Modi government are equally robust. It has funded leopard conservation corridors in the Aravallis, reducing human–wildlife conflicts and boosting populations. Wetland restoration projects have revived seasonal streams, enhancing groundwater recharge critical for cities like Delhi and Jaipur. Air-quality improvements in the NCR, with AQI drops attributed to dust-trapping afforestation, underscore the range’s role as northern India’s “great wall”.
International recognition affirms these strides. India’s commitments under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification highlight the Aravalli Green Wall as a global model, with PM Modi emphasising it at COP summits. Domestic metrics from the FSI report show forest cover increased by 15 per cent in Aravalli States since 2014—a stark contrast to stagnation under previous Congress regimes.
Gehlot’s government in the early 2010s opposed uniform definitions, allowing rampant mining and exploitation that the current standardisation seeks to rectify. In Haryana, Congress policies kept the Aravallis unprotected, enabling land grabs by influential figures.
Sonia Gandhi’s recent column decrying the “dismal state of India’s environment” conveniently omits these facts, focusing instead on unsubstantiated attacks. Jawhar Sircar’s social-media rants echo this selective amnesia, ignoring how Congress-era loopholes fuelled the very mafias they now decry. The BJP’s response has been to heal these wounds through restoration, turning the Opposition’s climate vandalism into environmental enrichment through sustainable climate goals and robust policy initiatives.
The Aravallis stand as testaments to India’s natural heritage, and under the Modi government, they are being fortified against threats old and new. The Opposition’s lies, rooted in exaggeration and historical deflection, crumble under scrutiny, revealing a desperate bid to politicise ecology. In contrast, initiatives like the Green Wall Project, mining bans and biodiversity corridors demonstrate a commitment that is comprehensive, science-driven and forward-looking.
As northern India grapples with climate challenges, the real betrayal would be succumbing to misinformation. The environment-friendly and ecologically sensitive Modi government’s actions ensure the Aravallis endure—not as victims of politics, but as thriving guardians of our future. With sustained efforts, these ancient hills will continue to shield us, proving that true protection comes from deeds, not deceit.
Sanju Verma is an Economist, National Spokesperson for BJP and Bestselling Author of “The Modi Gambit”. Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
