Congress protests in Jaipur against SC order on Aravalli hills

The Indian National Congress staged protests in Jaipur against the Supreme Court's recent order accepting a revised definition of the Aravalli mountain range, with party leaders accusing the BJP-led Centre of endangering one of north India's most fragile ecological zones on Sunday.

Add Asianet Newsable as a Preferred Source

Reacting sharply to the court order, senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said the party would oppose any move that harms the Aravalli hills. "The opposition is clear: The Aravalli hills cannot be damaged at any cost. The BJP will have to reverse this decision. The Supreme Court's order is based on a committee report constituted by the BJP government, and we do not accept it," he said, alleging that the ruling party was acting arbitrarily and with arrogance.

Broader Political Pushback by Congress

The protests come amid a broader political pushback by Congress against changes in forest and environmental policies. Earlier this week, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi launched a sharp attack against the Centre over the change in the definition of the Aravalli hills range, calling it a "death warrant" for the hills.

Further, she flagged deforestation and the eviction of local communities from forests as a "breach of the spirit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972." The Congress leader demanded policy-level change, asking the Centre to roll back amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022.

Details of the Supreme Court Order

Earlier, on November 20, the Supreme Court bench headed by former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai pronounced an order accepting the definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges as per the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The apex court also accepted the recommendations for sustainable mining in the Aravalli Hills and the steps to be taken for preventing illegal mining. The three-judge bench directed the ministry to prepare a Management Plant for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), to "identify permissible areas for mining, ecologically sensitive, conservation-critical and restoration-priority areas within the Aravali landscape where mining shall be strictly prohibited or permitted only under exceptional and scientifically justified circumstances; incorporate a thorough analysis of cumulative environmental impacts and the ecological carrying 15 capacity of the region; and include detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures."