The Aravallis are the green lungs of Delhi and keep clean the environment of the national capital by helping with the absorption of particulate matters - a crucial point to be remembered every winter, said environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari, who has emerged as a powerful champion for environmental justice and early childhood development. From courtrooms to UN climate summits, Kandhari also advocates for children's right to a healthy start in life mobilizing mothers across India to become advocates, watchdogs, and changemakers.
The words come amid a huge controversy over the Supreme Court's new classification of the Aravallis. Last month, the top court had declared that only landforms rising 100 meters or more above local terrain now qualify as "Aravalli". The narrow definition has had politicians and environmentalists up in arms and sparked a nationwide debate.
Environmentalists have warned that this could strip protections from up to 90 per cent of the range, unleashing a wave of mining, real estate grabs, and irreversible ecological havoc -- accelerating desertification, crippling groundwater recharge, and dooming biodiversity in a region already gasping under pollution and water scarcity.
Here is a synopsis of the discussion with Bhavreen Khandari:
Why are the Aravallis important?
The Aravalli hills are extremely important because Delhi does not have any natural forest of its own. These hills are the only large green cover left for the national capital and the nearby NCR. They act like the green lungs of the city and help people breathe cleaner air. There is no scope for making such a huge mistake. This is the only forest we have, and once it is damaged, it cannot be brought back.
How do the Aravallis protect us?
The biodiversity of the Aravallis controls pollution at many levels. Trees, soil and vegetation absorb harmful particles like PM 2.5 and PM 10. Without this natural system, Delhi would not be livable. You are playing with biodiversity, groundwater recharge and the environment all at once if you disturb these hills.
How will the atmosphere change in the national capital? Will dry air and dust storms increase?
The Aravalli hills act as a natural barrier against hot and dusty winds coming from Rajasthan. If this barrier is weakened, Delhi will face stronger dust storms, drier air and extreme heat. With the new mathematical definition, nearly 90 per cent of the Aravalli range loses protection, leaving the city exposed to desert conditions.
If 90 per cent of the Aravalli area falls under the new definition, what is left then?
Very little will remain protected. There is a saying that Delhi gets destroyed every hundred years, and this situation feels like we are reaching that point. This land has always been green, and we have nothing else apart from this forest. The Central Ridge is a key green lung that protects New Delhi and absorbs PM 2.5 and PM 10.
Did you ever think such a situation would arise?
It is absolutely shocking. Large parts of the ridge are already encroached upon. Authorities, locals and citizens are facing the impact. The forest department must be given more power to protect these areas, otherwise there will be no control over further damage.
What does the Supreme Court's new classification mean on the ground?
The new classification narrows down what can legally be called Aravalli land. Areas that were protected earlier may now be opened up for mining and construction. Environmentalists fear this will lead to irreversible ecological damage and unchecked development.
What happens to wildlife if the protection is removed?
Wildlife will lose its habitat. Animals and birds that depend on the Aravalli forest will have nowhere to go. This will increase human-animal conflict and destroy the ecological balance of the region.
You are standing in dense forest with clean air. What does this place represent?
This forest shows what Delhi is rapidly losing. The Aravalli hills are about 1.5 billion years old and are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The clean air we breathe here exists because this forest is still alive.
What will be the impact on monsoons, summers and winters?
Delhi already experiences extreme weather in all three seasons. If the Aravallis are damaged, air pollution will rise sharply. In summers, dust and sand will freely enter the city. In winters, there will be nothing to stop PM 2.5 and PM 10. During monsoons, groundwater recharge will reduce and the risk of flood will increase.
How will groundwater be affected?
The Aravalli hills allow rainwater to percolate into the ground and recharge aquifers. If these hills are flattened or built over, the water will simply run off, worsening Delhi's water crisis.
What next, as an activist and environmentalist?
Everyone has to act. There is no other option. If we fail now, we are leaving the next generation in a living hell. No city can survive without forests. Saving the Aravallis is about survival.
