Why Aravalli Hills Matter? Understanding Ongoing Controversy
Environmentalists believe that the implementation of this new system could weaken the protection of the Aravalli Range.
Published : December 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM IST
Dehradun: The Centre’s newly proposed definition of the Aravallis, which has received Supreme Court approval, has sparked a fresh political controversy nationwide. The opposition claims this move will facilitate unchecked mining and environmental damage along the 650-kilometre-long mountain range from Delhi to Gujarat.
Discussions are swirling about the adverse impact the new definition of the Aravalli range will have on various states in North India. Environmentalists believe that the implementation of this new system could weaken the protection of the Aravalli Range, and its far-reaching consequences could be felt not only in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, but also throughout the Himalayan region.
What is the controversy?
On November 20, the Supreme Court approved an October 13 proposal to redefine the Aravalli Range. Under this definition, only landforms 100 meters or higher above the surrounding land will be considered the Aravalli Hills. Furthermore, if two or more hills are located within 500 meters of each other, they will also be considered part of the Aravalli Range. This definition was established based on the recommendations of a committee formed by the central government.
However, environmentalists are concerned that this new definition will exclude most hills with a height of less than 100 meters from the protected area. They fear could pave the way for mining, construction, and other commercial activities in these areas. Due to this concern, environmentalists across the country have launched the #SaveAravali campaign.
Amidst the controversy, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Wednesday said it has issued directions to states for a complete ban on the grant of any new mining leases in the Aravallis. But, environmentalists say, questions and concerns remain.
What are the concerns?
ETV Bharat spoke with geologist Professor SP Sati about the implications of the proposed redefinition of the Aravallis. According to him, the Aravalli range is crucial for climate and environmental balance. “The Aravalli range limits the spread of desert areas and acts as a natural barrier to winds blowing from west to east. If these hills are significantly altered, the direct impact could be seen in the form of desert expansion, increased temperatures, and changes in rainfall patterns.
“The weakening of the Aravalli range will allow sand and dust to spread unhindered by winds to distant areas. This will not only impact air quality but also increase the concentration of pollutants like PM 2.5. This situation could pose a serious health and environmental crisis for large parts of North India,” he said.
According to the geologist, the dust and sand from the Aravalli range could reach the Himalayas with eastward winds. This will increase the risk of dust formation on Himalayan glaciers, which will absorb more sunlight and accelerate the melting of glaciers. This situation could prove extremely dangerous for Himalayan glaciers, already facing a crisis due to climate change.
In the past few years, he explained, Uttarakhand and other Himalayan states have witnessed rapid changes in the weather cycle. Many high-altitude regions have recorded a decrease in snowfall. Scientists believe that all these signs point to environmental imbalance, and increasing human activity in the Aravalli range could further exacerbate this crisis.
However, Professor Sati also clarifies that the direct impact of the Aravalli Range on rainfall in Uttarakhand will be limited, as the monsoon here is primarily generated from the Bay of Bengal, and Uttarakhand is quite far from the Aravalli Range. Nevertheless, on a broader scale, the weakening structure of the Aravalli Range could pose a serious challenge to the climate, temperature, and environmental balance of North India.
Experts believe that protecting the Aravalli Range is not just a matter of a few states, but of North India and the Himalayan ecosystem as a whole. Therefore, there is a growing demand for a serious rethinking of the implications of the new definition and for robust environmental safeguards.
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