Prepare sustainable mining plan for Aravallis: Supreme Court to Centre, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court directed the Union Government to create a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli range.
• The court has prohibited the issuance of new mining licenses in the Aravallis until the MPSM is finalized.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will prepare the MPSM through the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).

Detailed Insights:

• The MPSM will offer data based on geo-referenced ecological assessments, pinpointing areas with wildlife and other highly eco-sensitive zones needing conservation.
• The MPSM will determine how sustainable mining should be conducted, identifying permissible mining areas, ecologically sensitive zones, and areas requiring restoration.
• The court emphasized that allowing further mining activities without expert examination could harm the ecology and environment of the Aravallis.
• The Aravalli range, a continuous geological ridge stretching from Gujarat to Delhi, requires a comprehensive plan to balance mining with environmental protection.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sustainable Mining: Mining practices that minimize environmental impact and ensure resource availability for future generations.
• Ecologically Sensitive Areas: Regions with significant biodiversity or ecological value that require special protection.
• Geo-referenced Ecological Assessment: Evaluation of an area's ecological features using geographic coordinates for accurate mapping and analysis.