🔗 Share this article The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Mountain Range Are at the Centre of Escalating Demonstrations. An aerial view of a part of the Aravalli region in Rajasthan. Demonstrations have broken out across the northern part of the country after the nation's top court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – among the planet's most ancient mountain ranges stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. Under the new definition, endorsed by the court based on federal government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform rising at least 100 metres (328 ft) above the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are considered an Aravalli range. Environmentalists argue that classifying Aravalli hills by height risks leaving many shorter, vegetation-clad but vitally important hills vulnerable to mining and construction. The federal government, however, maintains that the revised definition is intended to strengthen regulation and bring uniformity and not weaken protections. A group of protesters in Gurugram city near Delhi hold signs to save the Aravallis. The Roots of the Unrest Recently, peaceful protests took place in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, environmental activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties. An organizing member of a key environmental group stated that the new definition risks undermining the essential function of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, replenishing aquifers and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India. The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in preventing desertification, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "The Aravalli range should not be defined by height alone, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related role," noted an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to preserve the Aravallis. He added that, globally, mountains and hill systems are classified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds. "Any landform 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 scientific criteria, including topography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, increasing the threat of environmental harm. Opposition parties have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation. One political leader said that safeguarding the Aravallis is "fundamentally linked to Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," adding that without it, "the entire area up to Delhi would have turned into a desert." Official Position India's central government has sought to downplay these concerns. In a recent communication, it asserted the new definition is meant to bolster governance and bring uniformity, noting that a clear, unambiguous definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states. It further stated that the new definition covers the whole mountainous region – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their linkages. The federal environment ministry said it is wrong to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres. The government states areas within the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they adhere to environmentally sound practices. It noted that mining remains banned in core "protected" areas – reserved woodlands, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The minister responsible for ecology indicated only about two percent of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and official approval. However, many of the protesting groups contend that protests will persist and that they are exploring legal options to challenge the court's new definition.
An aerial view of a part of the Aravalli region in Rajasthan. Demonstrations have broken out across the northern part of the country after the nation's top court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – among the planet's most ancient mountain ranges stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory. Under the new definition, endorsed by the court based on federal government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform rising at least 100 metres (328 ft) above the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are considered an Aravalli range. Environmentalists argue that classifying Aravalli hills by height risks leaving many shorter, vegetation-clad but vitally important hills vulnerable to mining and construction. The federal government, however, maintains that the revised definition is intended to strengthen regulation and bring uniformity and not weaken protections. A group of protesters in Gurugram city near Delhi hold signs to save the Aravallis. The Roots of the Unrest Recently, peaceful protests took place in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, environmental activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties. An organizing member of a key environmental group stated that the new definition risks undermining the essential function of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, replenishing aquifers and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India. The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in preventing desertification, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods as per experts. "The Aravalli range should not be defined by height alone, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related role," noted an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to preserve the Aravallis. He added that, globally, mountains and hill systems are classified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds. "Any landform 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 scientific criteria, including topography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience. A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, increasing the threat of environmental harm. Opposition parties have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation. One political leader said that safeguarding the Aravallis is "fundamentally linked to Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," adding that without it, "the entire area up to Delhi would have turned into a desert." Official Position India's central government has sought to downplay these concerns. In a recent communication, it asserted the new definition is meant to bolster governance and bring uniformity, noting that a clear, unambiguous definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states. It further stated that the new definition covers the whole mountainous region – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their linkages. The federal environment ministry said it is wrong to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres. The government states areas within the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they adhere to environmentally sound practices. It noted that mining remains banned in core "protected" areas – reserved woodlands, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals permitted by law. The minister responsible for ecology indicated only about two percent of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and official approval. However, many of the protesting groups contend that protests will persist and that they are exploring legal options to challenge the court's new definition.