Illegal mining: Supreme Court bars fresh mining leases!

Illegal mining: The Supreme Court has said that the committee will, among others, include the Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Forest Secretaries of the four states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat and one representative each from FSI and CEC. . The committee will submit the report within two months. The next hearing will be in August, till then there will be a ban on mining.

Supreme Court bars fresh mining leases: The Supreme Court (SC) has taken a big decision to save the environment. The Supreme Court has said that the 'Aravalli' hills should be protected at all costs. For this, the court has imposed a total ban on mining activities in the hilly areas of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat and directed them not to allow any kind of mining till further orders. The bench said that its order will not in any way be construed as a stay on the legitimate mining activities which are already being carried on as per valid permits and licenses.

Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.S. Oka's bench said, 'We are passing this order for all the four states (through which the hill range passes).' It made it clear that the order was limited to mining only in the Aravalli hills and its ranges.

Court's blunt stance on mining leases

The bench said, 'Until further orders, however, all states where the Aravalli mountain range is situated shall be free to consider and further process the applications for grant of mining leases and their renewal... but the FSI (Forest Survey of India) report No final permission will be granted for mining in the Aravalli Hills as defined in.

The court said that a report submitted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has pointed out various illegal mining activities carried out across the state of Rajasthan and has also given district-wise details regarding the area under illegal mining.

He found that one of the major issues was regarding the different definitions of the Aravalli hills and ranges adopted by different states. The bench ordered the formation of a committee to arrive at a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges.

The Supreme Court has also said that the committee will include, among others, the Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Forest Secretaries of all these four states and one representative each from FSI and CEC. The bench said that the committee will submit its report within two months. The court will now hold further hearing in this case in August.