Overview
- The environment ministry directed states to impose a complete ban on granting new mining leases across the entire Aravalli landscape from Gujarat to the National Capital Region.
- ICFRE has been tasked to map additional no‑mining zones and draft a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining for the whole range, with the plan to be released for public consultation and no timeline announced.
- Existing mining operations may continue only under stricter oversight, with states told to ensure full compliance with environmental safeguards and Supreme Court orders.
- The directive acknowledges exceptions for critical, strategic and atomic minerals under the MMDR Act, a carve‑out that environmental groups and opposition leaders contend weakens protections.
- The government says the exercise will expand protected areas, while Congress and experts question the 100‑metre test and cite earlier FSI and CEC positions; an environmentalist has petitioned the Supreme Court seeking review of the rule.