Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan praises SC stay on Aravalli mining panel; warns hills’ destruction could raise dust storms & air pollution in North India.

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the Mining Regulation Committee’s recommendations until further orders. Speaker Sandhwan stated that although the Supreme Court had previously accepted the revised definition of the Aravalli Hills that was suggested by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change committee, the court has now reexamined the issue and placed the earlier rulings on hold due to grave concerns.

He emphasized that protecting the environment should take precedence over business interests.He continued by saying that the altered “definition” of Aravalli Hills is what gave rise to the entire dispute. Only an area that is at least 100 meters higher than the surrounding ground will be deemed mountainous under the new definition.

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Environmental experts estimate that this approach may remove almost 90% of the Aravalli region’s tiny hills from legal protection, paving the path for mining and real estate development.

He cautioned that desert winds could migrate towards Delhi-NCR if the Aravalli hills were harmed. By serving as a “green wall,” these hills stop dust and sand from spreading. Their destruction could significantly raise North India’s danger of dusty storms and air pollution.

The Aravalli hills’ devastation, according to the speaker, would directly and significantly affect the environment of all of North India rather than just one region. He insisted that immediate action be taken to guarantee the Aravalli Hills are effectively and sustainably protected.