Supreme Court has stopped the issuance of new mining licenses and renewals for existing ones in the Aravalli ranges and hills based on a report by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).Haryana’s revenue from legal mining has significantly increased in the past decade (Rs 5.15 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 363.5 crore in 2023-24).
Key Facts About the Aravalli Range
- The Aravallis are one of the oldest fold residual mountains of the world comprised primarily of folded rock strata. This formation resulted from the convergence of tectonic plates during the Proterozoic Era (2500-541 million years ago)
- The Forest Survey of India (FSI) report, defined the Aravallis to include the hills and a uniform 100-meter-wide buffer zone around the downsides of the hills.
- They have an elevation of 300m to 900m. The mountains are divided into two main ranges – the Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar Khetri Range in Rajasthan.
- Guru Shikhar Peak on Mount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range (1,722 m).
- Major tribal communities include the Bhil, Bhil-Meena, Meena, Garasia, and others.
- The Supreme Court in 2009 ordered a complete ban on mining in the Aravalli hills of Faridabad, Gurgaon, and Nuh districts of Haryana.
Significance
Rich in Biodiversity
- It provides habitat to 300 native plant species, 120 bird species and many exclusive animals like the jackal and mongoose.
Checks Desertification
- The Aravallis act as a barrier between the fertile plains in the east and the Thar desert in the west.
- The excessive mining in the Aravalli Range is linked to the spread of the Thar Desert.
- The presence of loess, a desert windblown sediment, found in Mathura and Agra suggests that the desert is expanding due to the weakened ecological barrier created by the degraded Aravalli Hills.
Impacts Climate
- The Aravalli Range plays a significant role in shaping the climate of northwest India . During the monsoon season, these mountains act as a climatic barrier, guiding moisture-laden southwesterly winds towards Shimla and Nainital.
- This, in turn, helps nourish the sub-Himalayan rivers and contributes to the rainfall that replenish the vast north Indian plains.
- In the winter months, it protects the fertile alluvial river valleys from the cold westerly winds from Central Asia.
Key Concerns Related to the Mining in the Aravalli Range
Habitat Destruction and Biodiversity Loss
- Mining activities break and destroy Aravalli ecosystems, displacing wildlife like leopards, hyenas, and various bird species.
- This disrupts food chains and ecological balance.
- Mining in Rajasthan’s ecologically sensitive areas has threatened the habitat of the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird species.
Water Scarcity and Air Pollution
- The Aravallis acts as a natural water reservoir. Mining disrupts natural water flow and table recharge, leading to water scarcity downstream, impacting agriculture and human settlements.
- A 2018 research paper noted a decline in spring recharge due to mining in Haryana.
- Mining activities generate dust and release harmful pollutants like silica, affecting air quality and causing respiratory problems in nearby communities.
Land Degradation and Desertification
- Mining removes vegetation cover, exposing the soil to erosion.
- Wind and rain wash away fertile topsoil, leading to desertification.
- A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed a 37% decline in forest cover in the Aravalli region of Haryana between 2001 and 2016, likely linked to mining activities.