Protests in North India began after the Supreme Court passed an order regarding the Aravalli hills, one of the oldest mountains in the world, spanning across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi.
The major Contention is over the definition presented by the central government and agreed upon by the Supreme Court. The new definition says that the Aravalli hills are any landform that is more than 100 meters above the surrounding area. It also states that two or more hills in a vicinity of 500 meters or Less will be considered as the Aravalli ranges.
Ecologists and activists allege that remarking the hills according to the height will leave most of the low-lying but ecologically crucial parts unprotected. The government, on the other hand, claims that the rules are to streamline and regulate the process, and not to undermine protection. Residents, lawyers, environmentalists and activists are protesting in Udaipur and Gurugram over the issue.
Neelam Ahluwalia, the founder of the People of Aravallis group, in an interview with the BBC, stated that the new definition undermines the Hills’ role in curbing desertification and degradation of the region. Experts affirmed that the lower scrub-covered hills have an important role in supporting livelihood, recharging groundwater, and preventing desertification.
Another ecologist associated with the movement to save the Aravallis, Vikrant Tongad, stated that ranges should not be demarcated based on their height but on their ecological and geological importance. Several opposition leaders have also spoken about the issue. Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi leader, said that preserving the Aravallis is “inseparable from Delhi’s survival”.
The government, on the other hand, has maintained its stance that the rule brings uniformity in mining across states and thereby protects the natural system of the Aravallis rather than harming it, as stated by various stakeholders. It also said that the definition applies to the entire system, and therefore it will promote the hill clusters.
Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav also said that out of the 147,000 Sq km Aravallis range, only 2% could be mined and only after proper studies and official reports.
