Bhupender Yadav attacks Congress over Aravalli mining claims

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday rejected allegations levelled by the Congress that more than 90 per cent of the Aravallis will not be protected under the redefinition of the hills, saying the party is “rattled” because the Government has issued a total ban on mining in the Aravallis.

The Congress on Thursday claimed that more than 90 per cent of the Aravallis will not be protected under the redefinition of the hills and will open them up for mining and other activities.

“No FSI study has been conducted saying what you are claiming. But I know the reason you are spreading these lies despite FSI issuing a categorical denial. Maybe your ‘environmentalist hat’ would be credible if you questioned your party colleague Ashok Gehlot about who destroyed the Aravallis,” Yadav wrote on social media, responding to a post by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.

“You and your coterie are rattled because we have issued a total ban on mining in the Aravallis from Gujarat to Delhi. We will not allow you, Gehlot or anyone else in your party to plunder the sacred Aravalli range ever again. Will continue to work for the restoration of what your party has ravaged,” Yadav attacked.

Jairam Ramesh accused the Government of launching a “determined assault” on ecological balance by weakening environmental protection laws and loosening pollution norms.

Under the new definition, an “Aravalli Hill” is a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above its local surrounding terrain and an “Aravalli Range” is a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.

After a row over the redefinition of the Aravallis, the Centre on Wednesday issued directions to states for a complete ban on granting new mining leases within the mountain range.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has also directed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to identify additional areas and zones in the entire Aravallis where mining should be prohibited over and above the areas already prohibited for mining by the Centre.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, Minister Prahlad Patel and several other leaders were present at the event.