Quick reads
- Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav says a district-wise mining demarcation plan for the Aravalli Range is being prepared.
- The plan follows a Supreme Court-approved definition of what legally counts as the Aravalli hills and ranges.
- Only about 0.19% of the Aravalli region is currently eligible for mining under the new framework.
- No new mining leases will be granted until a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is finalised.
- The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will prepare the scientific plan.
Where it is happening
The announcement was made in New Delhi by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav during media interactions about the Aravalli mining controversy and Supreme Court directives.
How it will be done
According to the minister, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been tasked with preparing the Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), which will identify specific districts and hill areas where limited mining could be permitted, and where mining must be strictly prohibited. Until this scientific plan is ready, no new mining leases will be granted across the Aravalli landscape.
What we know so far
The Supreme Court in November 2025 accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges landforms 100 metres or more above their local terrain, and ranges of adjacent hills. That framework guides how the Ministry maps and regulates the range.
Under the new methodology, only 277.89 sq km, about 0.19% of the total Aravalli area spanning multiple states,s is being considered potentially eligible for mining, and then only under strict scientific criteria and environmental safeguards.
Yadav stressed that no new mining leases will be issued until the ICFRE’s sustainable mining plan is completed and vetted, and existing operations must comply with stringent safeguards. The government also says over 90% of the Aravalli range remains protected under the new definition and Supreme Court guidance.
