New Rules Threaten Aravalli Range: 90% Hills May Lose Protection

The Aravalli range, one of the world's oldest mountain systems, stretches from Delhi in the north to Gujarat in the south, with nearly two-thirds of its expanse passing through 15 districts of Rajasthan. Considered the green lungs of northern India, the Aravallis play a vital role in safeguarding the region's environment. However, relentless mining and encroachments are pushing this ancient range toward ecological collapse.

NDTV investigated the extent of mining in the Aravalli hills and found alarming evidence of ongoing environmental damage. The Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar district, part of the Aravalli range, is among the worst-affected areas. Beyond its ecological value, the region holds spiritual significance, believed to be the meditation site of the Saptarishis. Interestingly, satellite images show the Aravalli formation resembling the sacred "Om" symbol. Yet, today, sacred sites like Bhartrihari's tapasthali and the areas linked to the Pandavas' exile face severe degradation due to unchecked mining.

The Supreme Court, in its 2023 judgment, banned mining within a one-kilometre radius of the Aravalli. As per the government's 2024 submission, there were 110 mines within this restricted zone-68 of which were active at that time. The government has since claimed to have halted all activity within that radius. However, NDTV's on-ground investigation across Sariska, Tehla, and the nearby Alwar regions revealed a different story. Reporters found evidence of clandestine mining continuing under the radar. Heavy machinery lay idle near old pits, and locals confirmed that illegal extraction still takes place at night. The NDTV crew was even chased after being confronted by unidentified individuals near one such mining site.

Even as illegal mining continues to endanger this fragile ecosystem, a new definition proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has further alarmed environmental experts. The ministry, in a draft submitted before the Supreme Court, has suggested that only mountains with a height of 100 metres or more be classified as part of the protected Aravalli range. This proposal effectively scraps the existing 2010 Forest Survey of India (FSI) norms, which defined protected Aravalli areas based on a slope of 3 degrees, a height of 115 metres, and a 100-metre buffer zone around the hill.

In October 2024, the FSI itself had proposed a more moderate revision-classifying mountains 30 metres high with a slope of 4.57 degrees as protected. But the ministry's latest move has gone far beyond that, drastically shrinking the definition.

According to FSI's internal assessment, Rajasthan has 12,081 hills above 20 meters in height across 15 districts. Out of these, only 1,048 hills (8.7%) rise above 100 meters. This means that under the new criteria, nearly 90% of the Aravalli hills will lose protected status. Data also show that 1,594 hills are 80 meters high, 2,656 are 60 meters high, and 5,009 hills are about 40 meters high; around 107,494 are 20 meters high.

Environmental expert LK Sharma warned that the ministry's proposed definition needs urgent reconsideration. "Height should be calculated from mean sea level, not from the base of the hill - that's a fundamental error," he said. "Under this new rule, any hill below 100 metres would become open to mining, triggering large-scale ecological destruction across the Aravalli landscape."

Environmental groups argue that these new norms, if implemented, could wipe out the fragile ecosystem of the Aravalli range. Activists have called on the government to review the draft urgently, warning that if the rule stands, they are prepared for a prolonged legal and environmental battle to protect the Aravallis.