Mining pits scar India's Aravalli mountains, threaten desert buffer

Large-scale mining has left deep pits across sections of India's Aravalli mountains. The excavations remove vegetation that once formed a buffer against hot desert winds reaching New Delhi. Mining operations have expanded in recent years, creating pits described as dizzyingly deep in some locations.

Environmental effects reported Officials have noted that removal of forest cover reduces the range's ability to moderate wind and temperature. The same activity also alters local drainage patterns around the excavated sites. Environmental groups have called for stricter limits on new mining leases inside the range.

Government agencies continue to review existing permits under current land-use rules. No specific timeline for additional regulatory action has been announced.