New Delhi, Dec. 22 -- Following protests in some parts of India due to the Centre's reclassification of the Aravalli hill range, Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Monday looked to allay fears on any environmental damage to the nearly 2-billion-year old range, assuring that the government is committed to keeping the hills safe.

According to the union minister, the reclassification has been done to bring uniformity in the enforcement of environmental laws across states, as before each state had its own classification to allow mining. Similarly, he also informed that only 0.19 per cent of the whole range has been opened to mining, and no new mines are being opened. The area affected is expected to...