How is the Aravalli range to be protected?

Why is it in News?

• Supreme Court order (Nov 2025):
  • Settled on a uniform definition of Aravalli hills & ranges.
  • Paused fresh mining leases across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat.
• Follow-up to:
  • Long-standing illegal & excessive mining.
  • Conflicting State-wise definitions enabling regulatory evasion.
• Linked with:
  • India’s obligations under UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
  • Centre’s Aravalli Green Wall Project (June 2025).

Relevance

• GS II:
  • Role of Supreme Court in environmental governance.
  • Federal issues: Centre–State coordination in environmental regulation.
• GS III:
  • Environment & ecology: land degradation, mining impacts.
  • Climate change adaptation, UNCCD commitments.

What are the Aravalli Hills?

• Geological age: ~2 billion years (oldest mountain range in India).
• Extent: ~650 km (Delhi → Haryana → Rajasthan → Gujarat).
• Major rivers sourced/recharged:
  • Chambal, Sabarmati, Luni.
• Mineral-rich:
  • Sandstone, limestone, marble, granite.
  • Lead, zinc, copper, gold, tungsten.

Ecological Significance

• Natural climate barrier:
  • Prevents eastward expansion of the Thar Desert.
• Groundwater recharge:
  • Acts as a major aquifer recharge zone for NW India.
• Air quality regulation:
  • Reduces dust storms and particulate load in NCR.
• Biodiversity support:
  • Wildlife corridors, scrub forests, semi-arid ecosystems.
• Food & water security linkage:
  • Protects Indo-Gangetic agricultural belt.

How Do Aravallis Prevent Desertification of the Indo-Gangetic Plain?

• Topographic barrier:
  • Blocks desert winds and sand movement eastwards.
• Rainfall modulation:
  • Enhances local convection and moisture retention.
• Vegetative anchoring:
  • Forests and scrub bind soil, reduce erosion.
• Hydrological function:
  • Recharge of shallow & deep aquifers prevents aridification.
• Climate buffering:
  • Reduces temperature extremes and land degradation.

Problem: Mining & Ecological Degradation

• Since 1980s:
  • Rampant quarrying for stone & sand.
• Impacts:
  • Groundwater depletion.
  • Air pollution (stone crushing).
  • Habitat fragmentation.
  • Rise of illegal mining syndicates.
• Regulatory failure:
  • MoEFCC rules (1990s onwards) frequently violated.

Why Was a Uniform Definition Necessary?

• State-level manipulation:
  • Different criteria used to exclude areas from protection.
• Conflicting expert definitions:
  • Forest Survey of India (2010) used slope, buffers, valley width.
• Regulatory arbitrage:
  • Enabled selective mining approvals.
• Judicial clarity needed:
  • For enforcement, mapping, and EIA consistency.

What Definition Did the SC Settle On?

• Aravalli hills = elevations above 100 metres.
• Debate:
  • Amicus Curiae: Too narrow, risks fragmentation.
  • Centre: FSI definition would exclude even more areas.
• Court’s view:
  • 100m criterion is more inclusive and administratively workable.

Central Empowered Committee (CEC): Key Recommendations

• Scientific mapping of entire Aravalli range across States.
• Macro-level Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Zonation approach:
  • Absolute no-mining zones:
    • Protected forests.
    • Water bodies.
    • Tiger corridors.
    • Aquifer recharge zones.
    • NCR areas.
  • Limited, highly regulated mining zones elsewhere.
• No new leases or renewals until mapping & EIAs completed.
• Strict regulation of stone-crushing units.
• Restoration & rehabilitation plans for degraded areas.
• Cumulative ecological carrying capacity assessment.

Has the Supreme Court Completely Banned Mining?

• No blanket ban.
• Calibrated approach adopted:
  • Existing legal mining may continue under strict regulation.
  • Fresh mining paused until scientific plan finalised.
  • Ecologically sensitive zones permanently off-limits.
• Rationale:
  • Total bans often fuel illegal mining & sand mafias.

Government Initiative: Aravalli Green Wall Project (2025)

• Coverage:
  • 5 km buffer around Aravallis.
  • 29 districts (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi).
• Objective:
  • Restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
• Alignment:
  • UNCCD targets.
  • India’s land degradation neutrality goals.

Way Forward 

• Science-based environmental regulation over ad-hoc bans.
• Uniform definitions as tools of ecological justice.
• Balance livelihood concerns with irreversible ecosystem loss.
• Aravallis as a national ecological security asset, not a State-wise resource.

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