FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR US, Ukraine reach consensus on key issues LAW Justice in the Dock Cooked Slowly Page 8 Page 11 Delhi HC directs GST Council to consider lower tax on air purifiers UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 24 December With the deteriorating air quality in the Capital, Delhi High Court today directed that the issue of reducing or rationalising Goods and Services Tax (GST) on air purifiers be placed before the GST Council for consideration at the earliest. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court took note of the adverse impact of severe air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) and the need to examine whether air purifiers should attract a lower GST rate. The PIL was filed by Advocate Kapil Madan. The petitioner contended that air purifiers perform a preventive and health-protective role and ought to be classified as "medical devices", with a concessional GST rate of 5 per cent instead of the existing 18 per cent. The Court also pulled up the Centre over the worsening air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, observing that if clean air cannot be ensured for citizens, at the very least the GST on air purifiers should be reduced. “This is the minimum that you can do. Every citizen requires fresh air. If you cannot provide it, at least reduce the GST. Give an exemption for 15 days temporarily and treat this situation as an emergency," it was orally observed. Thursday, 25 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | Page 14 Vijay Hazare: Kohli, Rohit tons in domestic comeback steal show Page 16 Aravallis: Centre clamps ban on new mining leases STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 December F acing flak over the new 100 -metre definition for the ecologically-sensitive Aravalli hills, the Environment Ministry on Wednesday announced a complete ban on the grant of new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range from Delhi to Gujarat, It also asked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify additional areas or zones where mining should be prohibited. The prohibition, it said, applied uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and was aimed at preserving the integrity of the ancient geological ridge while curbing illegal and unregulated mining activities. The directions seek to safeguard the Aravallis as a continuous ecological and geological formation extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region, according to an official statement issued by the ministry. It also directed the ICFRE to identify additional areas or zones across the Aravallis where mining should be prohibited, over and above the areas already notified by the Centre. This identification will be based on ecological, geological and landscape-level considerations. “The ICFRE has been directed to undertake this exercise while preparing a comprehensive, science-based Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli region. The Plan, which will be placed in the public domain for wide stakeholder consultation, will assess the cumulative environmental impact and ecological carrying capacity, identify ecologically sensitive and conservation-critical areas, and lay down measures for restoration and rehabilitation. “This exercise by the Centre would further enlarge the coverage of areas protected and prohibited from mining in the entire Aravallis, keeping in mind the local topography, ecology and biodiversity,” it said. For mines already in operation, the Centre said concerned State governments must ensure strict compliance with all environmental safeguards and in conformity with Supreme Court orders. “Existing mining activities are to be regulated stringently, with additional restrictions where necessary, to ensure environmental protection and adherence to sustainable mining practices,” the statement said. The statement, however, is silent on the contentious definition that classifies an “Aravalli Hill” as any landform rising at least 100 metres above its surrounding terrain. Thackeray cousins reunite: Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, who is Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder president, officially announced an alliance on Wednesday to contest elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as well as six other municipal corporations, at a joint press conference held at the Blue Sea Hotel, Worli. The announcement of the alliance between the parties of the Thackeray cousins comes ahead of elections for 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai and Pune. Page 5
The Statesman is one of India's oldest English newspapers. It was founded in Kolkata in 1875 and is directly descended from The Friend of India (founded 1818). The Englishman (founded 1821) was merged with The Statesman in 1934. The Delhi edition of The Statesman began publication in 1931. The Statesman Weekly is a compendium of news and views from the Kolkata and Delhi editions. Printed on airmail paper, it is popular with readers outside India. The Statesman (average weekday circulation approximately 180,000) is a leading English newspaper in West Bengal. The Sunday Statesman has a circulation of 230,000.
