The Reason India's Aravalli Hills Are at the Centre of Growing Unrest.

Protests have erupted across northern India after the Supreme Court redefined the Aravalli hills – among the planet's most ancient geological formations stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi.

As per the revised criteria, accepted by the court based on federal government suggestions, an Aravalli hill is any geographical feature with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) from the adjacent land. A cluster of such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are deemed to be an Aravalli range.

Environmentalists argue that defining Aravalli hills based on elevation risks leaving numerous lower, scrub-covered but vitally important hills vulnerable to quarrying and development.

The federal government, on the other hand, says that the new definition is meant to enhance oversight and bring uniformity and not weaken protections.

What is Sparking the Demonstrations?

This weekend, calm demonstrations were held in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, organized by community members, farmers, green activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political parties.

A founder member of a key environmental group commented that the new definition threatens to compromise the essential function of the Aravalli range in "halting desert expansion, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India.

The lower, scrub-covered hills play a vital role in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods according to experts.

"The Aravalli range must not be categorized solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related role," noted an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to save the Aravallis.

He added that, internationally, mountain ranges are identified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds.

"Any landform that is structurally a component of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in ecology or combating desertification must be acknowledged as a component of the system, irrespective of its height."

Protesters are calling for that the government delineate Aravalli areas using research-based parameters, encompassing topography, biodiversity, animal corridors and climate resilience.

One activist warned that the court's new definition could encourage mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the threat of ecological damage.

Political opponents have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition might lead to significant environmental degradation.

A senior politician said that safeguarding the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," adding that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have become a desert."

Official Position

India's federal government has attempted to minimize these concerns.

In a recent communication, it said the new definition is meant to strengthen regulation and bring uniformity, noting that a clear, unambiguous definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states.

It added that the new definition encompasses the entire hill system – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and intervening areas – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their connections.

The national environment department said it is wrong to presume that mining will be permitted on all landforms under 100 metres.

The government states areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they adhere to sustainable mining norms.

It added that mining remains prohibited in core "inviolate" areas – protected forests, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – except for certain critical, strategic, and atomic minerals allowed by law.

The minister responsible for ecology indicated only about two percent of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after comprehensive assessments and official approval.

However, several of the protesting groups say that demonstrations will continue and that they are considering legal options to challenge the court's new definition.