New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) Environment minister Bhupender Yadav traded barbs with Congress members in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday as he charged that the earlier Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan was encouraging illegal mining in the Aravalli hills which was the basis of the Supreme Court directions.
The minister made the remarks while replying to the discussion on the working of Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in the House, during which he said the Modi government was fully committed to protecting and conserving the Aravalli ranges.
“The Supreme Court took cognizance because of rampant illegal mining in Aravalli during Ashok Gehlot’s regime. In 2012, when Gehlot’s government in Rajasthan was resorting to illegal mining in Rajasthan, I had raised this issue at the time,” said the minister.
The Opposition staged a walkout after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the minister of using objectionable words and sought an apology from him. Several Congress and other opposition party members stood up in Ramesh’s support.
The minister asserted that the government has in no way encouraged illegal mining in Aravalli hills, and it was banned in several places including Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram.
He assured that the government was positive on the issue of setting up of a High Powered Committee as directed by the apex court.
The Supreme Court in February asked the environment ministry and other stakeholders to suggest names of domain experts for the panel which would define the Aravalli hills and ranges, and observed that only lawful mining would be allowed in the region. PTI RSN RSN ANU ANU
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