Bhupender Yadav on Aravalli row: 'Only 0.19% is eligible for mining, no mining in most of Aravallis'

A major controversy has erupted over the Aravalli range after a new Supreme Court definition sparked protests across North India. Environmental activists warn the revised criteria could threaten one of India's oldest mountain ranges. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has pushed back, calling the charges baseless and asserting that 'only a tiny 0.19% of the total 1.4 lakh square kilometre Aravali region is open for mining'. He stated that the vast majority of the Aravallis remain protected through designations like protected forests, reserve forests, and eco-sensitive zones. Protests have taken place from Gurugram to Jaipur, with activists demanding the new guidelines be withdrawn, fearing they will open the gates to unchecked mining and ecological destruction.