The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Mountain Range Are at the Centre of Increasing Demonstrations.

Protests have erupted across the northern part of the country after the nation's top court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – one of the world's oldest mountain ranges spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

As per the revised criteria, accepted by the court following central government suggestions, an Aravalli hill is any landform with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) above the adjacent land. A cluster of such hills within 500 metres of each other, along with the land between them, are classified as an Aravalli range.

Conservationists contend that defining Aravalli hills by height risks leaving numerous lower, scrub-covered but vitally important hills unprotected from quarrying and development.

The central administration, however, states that the new definition is meant to tighten controls and establish consistency and not dilute protections.

Why are People Protesting?

Recently, peaceful protests were held in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by local residents, farmers, green activists, and, at times, lawyers and political groups.

A founder member of a key conservation collective remarked that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and safeguarding local economies" in the northwestern region.

The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and supporting livelihoods according to experts.

"The Aravalli range must not be categorized solely by elevation, but by its ecological, geological and climatic purpose," noted an ecology advocate associated with the movement to preserve 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 structurally a component of the Aravalli system and serves a vital purpose in ecology or combating desertification should be recognised as part of the range, irrespective of its height."

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

One activist warned that the court's new definition might promote extractive industries, development and business projects, increasing the risk of ecological damage.

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

A senior politician said that protecting the Aravallis is "fundamentally linked to Delhi's survival." A different official described 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 federal government has sought to downplay these concerns.

In a recent statement, it asserted the new definition is meant to bolster governance and bring uniformity, adding that a single, objective definition was needed to regulate mining consistently across states.

It further stated that the new definition encompasses the entire hill system – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and intervening areas – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their linkages.

The federal environment ministry clarified it is incorrect to presume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres.

The government states areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from new mining leases, while current operations can continue if they follow sustainable mining norms.

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

The minister responsible for ecology said only about two percent of the vast Aravalli range might be open to extraction, and only after detailed studies and official approval.

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