The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Hills Have Become the Epicenter of Growing Protests.

Unrest has flared across northern India after the nation's top court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – one of the world's oldest 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 recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) above the adjacent land. A cluster of such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, combined with the land between them, are considered an Aravalli range.

Ecologists assert that classifying Aravalli hills based on elevation potentially excludes numerous lower, scrub-covered but ecologically critical hills unprotected from quarrying and development.

The central administration, on the other hand, maintains that the revised definition is designed to enhance oversight and bring uniformity and not dilute protections.

What is Sparking the Demonstrations?

Recently, peaceful protests took place in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, organized by local residents, farmers, environmental activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties.

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

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

"This mountain system should not be defined by height alone, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related role," noted an environmental activist associated with the campaign to preserve the Aravallis.

He added that, globally, mountains and hill systems are identified by the roles they play, 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 part of the range, irrespective of its height."

Protesters are calling for that the government define Aravalli areas using scientific criteria, encompassing geography, biodiversity, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience.

A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the risk of ecological damage.

Opposition parties have stepped up criticism, warning that the new definition might lead to serious ecological damage.

A senior politician declared that safeguarding the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." A different official described the range the state's "lifeline," adding that without it, "the entire area up to Delhi would have become a desert."

Official Position

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

In a official release, it said the new definition is meant to bolster governance and bring uniformity, adding that a clear, unambiguous definition was required to oversee extraction uniformly across states.

It added that the new definition encompasses the entire hill system – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their linkages.

The national environment department clarified it is incorrect to presume 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 current operations can continue if they adhere to environmentally sound practices.

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

The Environment Minister 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, several of the demonstrating organizations say that protests will persist and that they are considering judicial avenues to challenge the court's new definition.