The committee, chaired by the Environment Ministry Secretary and composed of representatives from Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi, along with technical experts, found that only Rajasthan had an officially established definition, which it has adhered to since 2006. According to this definition, landforms that rise 100 meters or more above local relief are classified as hills, and mining is prohibited within the lowest bounding contour that encloses such hills, regardless of the height or slope of the landforms inside the contour. It has been agreed that all states will adopt this long-standing definition from Rajasthan, along with additional safeguards to enhance objectivity and transparency. These measures include treating hills located within 500 meters of each other as a single range, requiring the mapping of hills and ranges on Survey of India maps before making any mining decisions, and clearly identifying core and inviolate areas where mining is prohibited. In a background note circulated to the media, the government denied claims that mining has been permitted in areas below 100 meters. It emphasized that the restrictions apply to entire hill systems and their enclosed landforms, not merely to the hill peaks or slopes. The government reiterated that it is “incorrect to conclude” that all landforms below 100 meters are available for mining.
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South Africa pub attack leaves 9 dead, 10 wounded by gunmen
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