Bhupender Yadav on Aravalis: 'No New Mining Lease' in Core Areas, Govt for Ecology and Economy

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, addressed the recent Supreme Court order concerning the Aravali range, stating the government's commitment to balancing ecology and economy. Yadav clarified that the government accepts the court-mandated committee's report and its recommendations for sustainable mining, emphasising that 'no new mining lease except in case of critical strategic and atomic mineral' will be permitted. He highlighted that core areas, including four tiger reserves and twenty wildlife sanctuaries, are prohibited from mining activities. A 'Management Plan for Scientific Management' (MPSM) must be finalised before any new leases are granted. Yadav also noted the court's appreciation for the government's Aravali green initiatives and its approval of ICFRE's study standards.