Rajasthan Government Halts Mining Operations in Protected Aravalli Hills Region
The Rajasthan government has issued an immediate order to stop all mining activities in the Deepawas village area of Neem ka Thana, Sikar district. This decisive action comes after official confirmation that the land allocated for a large-scale iron ore mining project falls squarely within the ecologically sensitive Aravalli hills range.
Legal Intervention Triggers Government Action
The mining controversy reached the Supreme Court when two local residents, Mamraj and Kailash Chand, filed an intervention application. Their agricultural fields and homes are located within the proposed mining zone. They argued forcefully that the 180-hectare project area—spanning three villages with 149 hectares classified as forest land—could not proceed because it violates the Supreme Court's protection of the Aravalli hills.
The legal basis for their argument rests on the 2010 Forest Survey of India (FSI) report, which defines the boundaries of the Aravalli hills. Their petition was filed in the ongoing suo motu case titled 'In re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues'.
Supreme Court Directives and Environmental Authority Warnings
Mining operations had allegedly commenced on January 16, 2026, involving extensive land clearing with heavy machinery. However, the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority issued a critical communication on January 25, 2026. This official notice stated clearly that no mining activity could begin without obtaining prior permission directly from the Supreme Court.
This warning aligns with the Supreme Court's May 9, 2024 order, which explicitly prohibits granting final permission for any mining within the Aravalli hills as defined by the FSI report without the court's prior approval. This directive was powerfully reiterated in a subsequent order dated December 29, 2025, reinforcing the legal protection for this vital ecological zone.
Government Investigation Confirms Violation
Following the residents' legal intervention, the state mining department conducted a thorough examination of the lease area. Their investigation, documented in a letter dated January 24, 2026, confirmed the residents' claims. The official findings stated unequivocally that the mining site falls within both the Aravalli polygon and the Aravalli Hills Range according to the FSI report dated August 25, 2010.
Based on this confirmation, the mining department issued the directive for immediate cessation of all mining operations in the area. Neelam Ahluwalia, founder of the People for Aravallis collective, emphasized that "the main issue taken up in the legal petition was that the mining operations cannot be allowed to continue, since the area falls within the Aravalli hills as per the FSI Report of 2010."
Environmental and Community Concerns
Local villagers have expressed profound concerns about the potential environmental damage from mining activities. The project site is located barely two kilometers from the boundary of the Baleshwar Conservation Reserve, raising alarms about biodiversity impacts.
Community members warned that mining operations could severely harm:
- Agricultural productivity and soil quality
- Traditional grazing lands for livestock
- Groundwater levels and aquifer recharge
- The ecological health of the Girjan river system
The Girjan river represents a crucial water source for the region, providing drinking water and irrigation for over 60,000 people across more than 40 villages. Mamraj, one of the petitioners, articulated the community's deep connection to their environment: "The 19 km of Girjan river is our lifeline which has water in it all year round. We don't see our land, rivers and the Aravalli hills as something that can be exploited for profit. Our natural resources are very sacred for us."
This case highlights the ongoing tension between industrial development and environmental protection in ecologically sensitive regions, with the Supreme Court's intervention proving decisive in upholding legal protections for the Aravalli hills ecosystem.
