No mining in Aravalli hills in Gujarat, will never grant nod in future too: Minister

In the statement, Modhwadia expressed the state government’s firm resolve for the conservation of Aravalli mountain ranges and sustainable development and added that the state government is committed to saving the state’s forest areas and environmentally sensitive regions.

Quoting Modhwadia, the statement said, “As per the directives of the Supreme Court, the Government of Gujarat is implementing all aspects related to the new definition and conservation of the Aravalli hills. As per this, all landforms having a height of 100 metres or more above the local ground level have been defined as ‘mountains’, so that there are no legal loopholes. In addition, all areas up to 500 metres between two or more mountains with a height of more than 100 metres will also be considered an integral part of the Aravalli mountain range.”

“Mining will be completely prohibited by the state government in ‘core and inviolate’ zones such as protected areas, eco-sensitive zones, reserve areas, wetlands, and CAMPA plantation sites across the state. The primary objective of the state government is to ensure environmental conservation alongside development, so that future generations inherit a safe and green Gujarat. The Aravalli mountain range is not merely a heap of stones, but serves as a natural barrier preventing the advance of the desert and is extremely important for groundwater recharge,” the minister said.

Modhwadia referred to the Aravalli Green Wall Project and said that a total 3.25 lakh hectare forest area of districts such as Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Mahisagar, Dahod and Panchmahal has been included under it.

“To enhance green cover, plantation of 86.84 lakh saplings of indigenous species has been carried out over a total area of 4,426 hectares during the year 2025–26,” he said.

In addition, invasive plant species such as Gando Baval and Lantana have been removed from an area of 150 hectares, the release stated. It added that in the coming year 2026–27, plantation and conservation activities will be undertaken over approximately 4,890 hectares under the project.

On Tuesday, AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava organised a “Save Aravalli” rally in Khedbrahma taluka of Sabarkantha district and alleged that the Modi government is redefining the Aravalli mountain range at the behest of industrialists and handing it over to the mining mafia.

“The BJP government wants to loot water, forests, and land. These mountains were not created by the government. They stood firm for thousands of years. We will never allow the mountains and forests to be looted. The encroachment on the Aravalli range will prove disastrous for all of humanity,” said the tribal MLA from Dediapada seat in Narmada district.

In November 2025, the Supreme Court accepted a uniform legal definition of what constitutes the Aravalli Hills and Aravalli Range on the recommendation of a committee led by the Environment Ministry.

Under this definition, an “Aravalli Hill” is a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above its local surrounding terrain and an “Aravalli Range” is a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.

The Supreme Court ruling has sparked much debate with environment activists raising concerns that hills falling below this 100-meter threshold may lose legal protection and be cleared for mining, potentially threatening the ecological continuity of India’s oldest mountain range. The Aravalli mountain range extends from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan to Gujarat.