Why India's Aravalli Mountain Range Have Become the Epicenter of Escalating Protests.

Protests have erupted across northern India after the Supreme Court issued a new definition for the Aravalli hills – among the planet's most ancient mountain ranges stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

Under the new definition, endorsed by the court based on federal government suggestions, 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 considered an Aravalli range.

Environmentalists argue that classifying Aravalli hills by height risks leaving many shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to quarrying and development.

The central administration, on the other hand, maintains that the new definition is intended to enhance oversight and establish consistency and not weaken safeguards.

The Roots of the Unrest

This weekend, peaceful protests occurred in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, organized by local residents, farmers, environmental activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political parties.

An organizing member of a key environmental group commented that the new definition threatens to compromise the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, replenishing aquifers and protecting livelihoods" in the northwestern region.

The lower, scrub-covered hills perform a crucial function in preventing desertification, boosting water tables and sustaining communities according to experts.

"This mountain system must not be categorized solely by elevation, but by its ecological, geological and climatic function," said an ecology advocate associated with the movement to save the Aravallis.

He pointed out that, globally, mountains and hill systems are identified by the roles they play, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds.

"Any feature that is structurally a component of the Aravalli system and plays a critical role in the ecosystem or combating desertification should be recognised as part of the range, regardless of its height."

Protesters are calling for that the government delineate Aravalli areas using scientific criteria, including geography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and climate resilience.

A campaigner cautioned that the court's new definition could encourage extractive industries, development and business projects, increasing the risk of environmental harm.

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

One political leader said that safeguarding the Aravallis is "inseparable from 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 become a desert."

The Government's Stance

India's central government has sought to downplay these concerns.

In a official release, it asserted the new definition is intended to bolster governance and create standardization, adding that a clear, unambiguous definition was required to regulate mining consistently across states.

It added 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 wrong to assume that mining will be allowed on all landforms under 100 metres.

The government says areas within the Aravalli hills or ranges are excluded from new mining leases, while existing ones can continue if they adhere to environmentally sound practices.

It added that mining remains banned in core "inviolate" areas – protected forests, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – aside from certain critical, strategic, and atomic minerals allowed by law.

The Environment Minister indicated only about 2% of the vast Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after comprehensive assessments and official approval.

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