🔗 Share this article The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Mountain Range Are at the Centre of Escalating Unrest. An aerial view of a part of the Aravalli terrain in Rajasthan. Unrest has flared 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 geological formations spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. According to the fresh parameters, endorsed by the court based on federal government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) above the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other, along with the land between them, are deemed to be an Aravalli range. Conservationists contend that defining Aravalli hills by height could leave many shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to quarrying and development. The federal government, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is designed to tighten controls and bring uniformity and not weaken protections. Several protesters in Gurugram city near Delhi display placards to protect the Aravallis. Why are People Protesting? Recently, peaceful protests were held in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, led by community members, farmers, green activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political groups. An organizing member of a key conservation collective commented that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "halting desert expansion, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in the northwestern region. The shorter, vegetated hills perform a crucial function in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "This mountain system should not be defined solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related function," said an environmental activist involved in the campaign to save the Aravallis. He added that, globally, mountain ranges are identified by the functions they perform, not by random height benchmarks. "Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in the ecosystem or combating desertification should be recognised as a component of the system, irrespective of its height." Protesters are calling for that the government define Aravalli areas using research-based parameters, including topography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition could encourage mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the risk of ecological damage. Political opponents have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition could cause serious ecological damage. A senior politician declared that safeguarding the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "life-support system," stating that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have become a desert." Official Position India's central government has sought to downplay these apprehensions. In a recent statement, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and bring uniformity, noting that a single, objective definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states. It added that the new definition encompasses the whole mountainous region – including slopes, related features, and connecting zones – explicitly protecting hill clusters and their linkages. The national environment department said it is incorrect to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres. The government says areas within the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they follow sustainable mining norms. It noted that mining remains banned in core "inviolate" areas – reserved woodlands, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The Environment Minister indicated only about 2% of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and formal clearance. However, many of the protesting groups contend that protests will persist and that they are considering judicial avenues to contest the court's new definition.
An aerial view of a part of the Aravalli terrain in Rajasthan. Unrest has flared 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 geological formations spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. According to the fresh parameters, endorsed by the court based on federal government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) above the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other, along with the land between them, are deemed to be an Aravalli range. Conservationists contend that defining Aravalli hills by height could leave many shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to quarrying and development. The federal government, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is designed to tighten controls and bring uniformity and not weaken protections. Several protesters in Gurugram city near Delhi display placards to protect the Aravallis. Why are People Protesting? Recently, peaceful protests were held in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, led by community members, farmers, green activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political groups. An organizing member of a key conservation collective commented that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "halting desert expansion, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in the northwestern region. The shorter, vegetated hills perform a crucial function in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "This mountain system should not be defined solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related function," said an environmental activist involved in the campaign to save the Aravallis. He added that, globally, mountain ranges are identified by the functions they perform, not by random height benchmarks. "Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in the ecosystem or combating desertification should be recognised as a component of the system, irrespective of its height." Protesters are calling for that the government define Aravalli areas using research-based parameters, including topography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition could encourage mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the risk of ecological damage. Political opponents have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition could cause serious ecological damage. A senior politician declared that safeguarding the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "life-support system," stating that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have become a desert." Official Position India's central government has sought to downplay these apprehensions. In a recent statement, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and bring uniformity, noting that a single, objective definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states. It added that the new definition encompasses the whole mountainous region – including slopes, related features, and connecting zones – explicitly protecting hill clusters and their linkages. The national environment department said it is incorrect to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres. The government says areas within the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they follow sustainable mining norms. It noted that mining remains banned in core "inviolate" areas – reserved woodlands, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The Environment Minister indicated only about 2% of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and formal clearance. However, many of the protesting groups contend that protests will persist and that they are considering judicial avenues to contest the court's new definition.