Congress alleges the Centre is misleading the public on Aravallis, accusing it of manipulating FSI data to redefine hills and weaken environmental protection.
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera criticise the government over the redefinition of Aravalli hills and alleged dilution of environmental safeguards (Photo: X)
New Delhi: Congress on Thursday slammed the central government after it announced that there will be no new leases granted for mining and accused Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav of “misleading and misinforming” the public and alleged that the government is manipulating the Forest Survey of India (FSI) to push through a new definition of “hills” that could leave the vast majority of the mountain range unprotected.
In a post on X, Ramesh, who is Congress General Secretary and communication incharge said, "The Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change continues to mislead and misinform on the Aravallis."
He said that the FSI is now under additional charge of the Ministry’s ADG and will say whatever the Minister wants and is directed to.
He also said that the FSI’s internal assessment warned the Ministry. "Is such an assessment being denied?" Ramesh asked.
Targeting the government, he said, " The raw data is very much with FSI. So why doesn’t the Minister ask FSI to do a formal study and come out with the elevation chart of the very large number of hills of varying heights that constitute the Aravallis in the 15 districts of Rajasthan?"
Earlier in the day, Ramesh in another post on X said, "The Modi Sarkar’s redefinition of the Aravallis, that goes against all expert opinion, is dangerous and disastrous."
He pointed out that according to the Forest Survey of India’s data that is authoritative, only 8.7 per cent of the Aravalli hills that are higher than 20 meters exceed 100 metres.
"If we take all Aravalli hills identified by FSI, not even 1 per cent exceeds 100 meters. The FSI believes, and rightly so, that height limits are dubious and ALL of the Aravallis irrespective of height should be protected," the Congress leader said.
He said that in terms of area, this means that well over 90 per cent of the Aravallis will not be protected by the new redefinition and could well get opened up for mining, real estate, and other activities that will further damage an already ravaged ecosystem.
"That is the plain and simple truth that cannot be covered up. This is yet another example of the Modi Sarkar’s determined assault on ecological balance that includes loosening of pollution standards, weakening of environment and forest laws, emasculation of the National Green Tribunal, and other institutions of environmental governance. There is simple no connection between the PM’s global talk and his local walk when it comes to environmental concerns," he added.
Meanwhile, even Congress CWC member and Media and publicity department chairman questioned the government order issued money Wednesdya evening and said, "Yesterday’s notification of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change claims that it has issued directions to the states for a “complete ban on the grant of any new mining leases in the Aravallis”. It is also claimed that “This prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape.”
"This is a misleading because -- Aravalli landscape is not legally demarcated, there is no single notified boundary, different states define Aravallis differently," he claimed.
"So 'uniformly' is aspirational language, not an operational reality. In the same notification, ICFRE is being asked to “identify additional areas.” If additional areas still need to be identified, then -- the ban cannot yet be fully mapped, enforcement cannot be uniform today and state discretion still exists in the interim," Khera said.
He also said that additionally, the ban on new mining leases is contained in the recent order of the Supreme Court.
"As such, yesterday’s order by the Ministry of Environment is unnecessary, has no practical relevance, and marks the government’s desperate attempt to hoodwink and claim credit while continuing with its nefarious agenda to destroy the treasured natural heritage of our country," he added.
The comments from the Congress leaders came amid a political and policy row over the redefinition of the Aravallis, one of India’s oldest mountain ranges and a critical ecological barrier against desertification. In response to the controversy, the Centre on Wednesday issued directions to states imposing a complete ban on granting new mining leases within the Aravalli range.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also asked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to identify additional areas across the Aravallis where mining should be prohibited, beyond zones already under restriction.
The Supreme Court on November 20 accepted the recommendations of a committee under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on the definition of Aravalli hills and ranges.
