Why The Nation's Aravalli Hills Have Become the Epicenter of Escalating Unrest.

Protests have erupted across the northern part of the country after the Supreme Court redefined the Aravalli hills – among the planet's most ancient geological formations spanning the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

As per the revised criteria, endorsed by the court following central government suggestions, an Aravalli hill is any geographical feature with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) above the surrounding terrain. A cluster of such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are considered an Aravalli range.

Ecologists assert that defining Aravalli hills by height risks leaving numerous shorter, vegetation-clad but vitally important hills vulnerable to quarrying and development.

The central administration, however, says that the new definition is meant to enhance oversight and bring uniformity and not weaken protections.

Why are People Protesting?

Recently, peaceful protests occurred in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, organized by local residents, farmers, environmental activists, and, at times, lawyers and political groups.

An organizing member of a prominent environmental group remarked that the new definition threatens to compromise the essential function of the Aravalli range in "halting desert expansion, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in the northwestern region.

The lower, scrub-covered hills perform a crucial function in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and sustaining communities as per experts.

"This mountain system must not be categorized by height alone, but by its ecological, geological and climatic role," said an ecology advocate involved in the campaign to save the Aravallis.

He added that, globally, mountain ranges are identified by the roles they play, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds.

"Any feature that is geologically part of the Aravalli system and plays a critical role in ecology or preventing desertification must be acknowledged as part of the range, regardless of its height."

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

A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition might promote mining, construction and commercial activity, heightening the threat of ecological damage.

Opposition parties have ramped up their censure, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation.

A senior politician said that protecting the Aravallis is "fundamentally linked to Delhi's survival." Another leader described the range the state's "life-support system," adding that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have become a desert."

The Government's Stance

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

In a official release, it said the new definition is intended to strengthen regulation and bring uniformity, adding that a single, objective definition was needed to oversee extraction uniformly across states.

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

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

The government states areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from 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 – aside from certain critical, strategic, and atomic minerals allowed by law.

The Environment Minister indicated only about two percent of the 147,000 sqkm Aravalli range might be open to extraction, and only after comprehensive assessments and official approval.

Nevertheless, several of the demonstrating organizations say that demonstrations will continue and that they are considering judicial avenues to challenge the court's new definition.