The Reason India's Aravalli Mountain Range Are at the Centre of Growing Demonstrations.

Protests have erupted across the northern part of the country after the Supreme Court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – one of the world's oldest geological formations spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

As per the revised criteria, accepted by the court based on central government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any geographical feature with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) from the surrounding terrain. Two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other, combined with the land between them, are classified as an Aravalli range.

Environmentalists argue that defining Aravalli hills by height potentially excludes many lower, scrub-covered but vitally important hills vulnerable to quarrying and development.

The federal government, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is intended to enhance oversight and establish consistency and not weaken protections.

What is Sparking the Demonstrations?

Over the past few days, peaceful protests were held in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, green activists, and, at times, lawyers and political parties.

An organizing member of a key conservation collective stated that the new definition threatens to compromise the essential function of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India.

The lower, scrub-covered hills play a vital role in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and supporting livelihoods according to experts.

"This mountain system should not be defined solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related role," said an environmental activist involved in the campaign to save the Aravallis.

He said that, internationally, mountains and hill systems are classified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds.

"Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in ecology or combating desertification must be acknowledged as part of the range, regardless of its height."

Activists are demanding that the government define Aravalli areas using research-based parameters, including topography, biodiversity, wildlife connectivity and environmental durability.

One activist warned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the risk of ecological damage.

Opposition parties have ramped up their censure, cautioning that the new definition could cause serious ecological damage.

A senior politician said that protecting the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "life-support system," stating that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have turned into a desert."

The Government's Stance

India's central government has attempted to minimize these concerns.

In a recent communication, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and bring uniformity, adding that a clear, unambiguous definition was required to oversee extraction consistently across states.

It added that the new definition covers the entire hill system – incorporating slopes, related features, and connecting zones – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their linkages.

The national environment department clarified it is incorrect to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres.

The government states areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they follow sustainable mining norms.

It added that mining remains prohibited in core "protected" areas – reserved woodlands, environmentally fragile zones, and wetlands – except for certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals allowed by law.

The minister responsible for ecology indicated only about two percent of the 147,000 sqkm Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and official approval.

However, several of the demonstrating organizations contend that protests will persist and that they are considering judicial avenues to challenge the court's new definition.