Aravalli Mountains Ecological Importance Diminished

Summary of Aravalli Mountain Range Developments

1. Geographical Importance:

   • The Aravalli Mountain Range extends nearly 700 km from eastern Gujarat to southern Haryana, passing through Rajasthan and Delhi.
   • Functions as a vital ecological resource by supporting biodiversity, recharging aquifers, and mitigating the hot winds towards North India.
   • Acts as a barrier against the Thar Desert, protecting the Indo-Gangetic plains.

2. Supreme Court Ruling:

   • A recent Supreme Court ruling has accepted a Union Environment Ministry panel's recommendation that significantly reduces the area classified as part of the Aravalli Range in Rajasthan by 90%.
   • This new classification stems from a need to define the Aravalli for mining purposes, which has raised environmental concerns.

3. Proposed Criteria for Classification:

   • The panel's criteria focus on landforms elevated at least 100 meters, which dramatically narrows the recognized area.
   • Analysis by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) indicates that only 1,048 hills over 20 meters of the 12,081 identified hills would meet this new standard.

4. Concerns Over Ecological Services:

   • Reports, including surveys conducted by the Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee, highlight that one-fourth of the Aravalli hills have already been lost due to various factors.
   • The new height-based definition risks further ecological degradation of the Aravalli range, undermining previous conservation efforts.

5. Government Schemes and Plans:

   • The Aravalli Landscape Restoration Action Plan, initiated in May, acknowledges the need to combat threats such as deforestation, mining, grazing, and human encroachment.
   • It identifies urgent environmental protection requirements for regions impacted by desertification, particularly in areas like Gurugram and Alwar.

6. Historical Judicial Support:

   • Since 2002, the Supreme Court has recognized that the entire Aravalli ecosystem, including hills, plateaus, plains, and ridges, operates as a singular entity.
   • A significant ruling in 2018 emphasized the role of hillocks in preventing pollution in the national capital.

7. Environmental Implications:

   • Concerns have been raised that the new definition for mining could lead to the fragmentation of the Aravalli into isolated hills, which may diminish its ecological integrity.
   • The Supreme Court has been praised in the past for its role in advancing environmental reforms and is encouraged to maintain its leadership in protecting the Aravalli.

Conclusion: The potential reclassification of the Aravalli Mountain Range primarily for mining activities raises significant ecological concerns. The ongoing efforts, judicial scrutiny, and government plans highlight the complexities of balancing development with environmental conservation. Continuous monitoring and intervention are critical for the protection of this vital ecological system.