🔗 Share this article The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Mountain Range Are at the Centre of Increasing Unrest. An aerial view of a section of the Aravalli region in Rajasthan. Protests have erupted across the northern part of the country after the Supreme Court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – one of the world's oldest mountain ranges spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. Under the new definition, endorsed by the court based on central government suggestions, an Aravalli hill is any landform rising at least 100 metres (328 ft) from the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are classified as an Aravalli range. Conservationists contend that classifying Aravalli hills based on elevation could leave many shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to quarrying and development. The central administration, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is meant to tighten controls and establish consistency and not dilute protections. A group of demonstrators in Gurugram city near Delhi display signs to protect the Aravallis. Why are People Protesting? Over the past few days, calm demonstrations took place in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, green activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties. An organizing member of a prominent conservation collective commented that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, replenishing aquifers and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India. The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in stopping desert creep, recharging groundwater and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "The Aravalli range should not be defined solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related function," said an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to save the Aravallis. He said that, globally, mountains and hill systems are identified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds. "Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in the ecosystem or combating desertification must be acknowledged as part of the range, irrespective of its height." Activists are demanding that the government define Aravalli areas using scientific criteria, encompassing geography, biodiversity, wildlife connectivity and environmental durability. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, increasing the risk of environmental harm. Political opponents have ramped up their censure, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation. One political leader said that protecting the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," stating that without it, "the entire area up to Delhi would have turned into a desert." Official Position India's federal government has sought to downplay these apprehensions. In a official release, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and create standardization, adding that a clear, unambiguous definition was required to oversee extraction consistently across states. It further stated that the new definition encompasses the entire hill system – including slopes, related features, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their connections. The federal environment ministry clarified it is wrong to assume that mining will be permitted on all landforms under 100 metres. The government says areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they follow environmentally sound practices. It noted that mining remains prohibited in core "inviolate" areas – protected forests, environmentally fragile zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The minister responsible for ecology said only about two percent of the 147,000 sqkm Aravalli range might be open to extraction, and only after detailed studies and official approval. Nevertheless, many of the demonstrating organizations say that demonstrations will continue and that they are exploring judicial avenues to contest the court's new definition.
An aerial view of a section of the Aravalli region in Rajasthan. Protests have erupted across the northern part of the country after the Supreme Court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – one of the world's oldest mountain ranges spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. Under the new definition, endorsed by the court based on central government suggestions, an Aravalli hill is any landform rising at least 100 metres (328 ft) from the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are classified as an Aravalli range. Conservationists contend that classifying Aravalli hills based on elevation could leave many shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to quarrying and development. The central administration, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is meant to tighten controls and establish consistency and not dilute protections. A group of demonstrators in Gurugram city near Delhi display signs to protect the Aravallis. Why are People Protesting? Over the past few days, calm demonstrations took place in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, green activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties. An organizing member of a prominent conservation collective commented that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, replenishing aquifers and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India. The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in stopping desert creep, recharging groundwater and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "The Aravalli range should not be defined solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related function," said an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to save the Aravallis. He said that, globally, mountains and hill systems are identified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds. "Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in the ecosystem or combating desertification must be acknowledged as part of the range, irrespective of its height." Activists are demanding that the government define Aravalli areas using scientific criteria, encompassing geography, biodiversity, wildlife connectivity and environmental durability. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, increasing the risk of environmental harm. Political opponents have ramped up their censure, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation. One political leader said that protecting the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," stating that without it, "the entire area up to Delhi would have turned into a desert." Official Position India's federal government has sought to downplay these apprehensions. In a official release, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and create standardization, adding that a clear, unambiguous definition was required to oversee extraction consistently across states. It further stated that the new definition encompasses the entire hill system – including slopes, related features, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their connections. The federal environment ministry clarified it is wrong to assume that mining will be permitted on all landforms under 100 metres. The government says areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they follow environmentally sound practices. It noted that mining remains prohibited in core "inviolate" areas – protected forests, environmentally fragile zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The minister responsible for ecology said only about two percent of the 147,000 sqkm Aravalli range might be open to extraction, and only after detailed studies and official approval. Nevertheless, many of the demonstrating organizations say that demonstrations will continue and that they are exploring judicial avenues to contest the court's new definition.