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

Demonstrations have broken out 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 stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

According to the fresh parameters, approved by the court based on central government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform rising at least 100 metres (328 ft) from the adjacent land. Two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other, along with the land between them, are considered an Aravalli range.

Environmentalists argue that classifying Aravalli hills based on elevation could leave many lower, scrub-covered but ecologically critical hills unprotected from quarrying and development.

The federal government, on the other hand, states that the new definition is designed to enhance oversight and bring uniformity and not weaken safeguards.

Why are People Protesting?

Recently, peaceful protests took place in cities including Gurugram and Udaipur, organized by community members, farmers, environmental activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political parties.

An organizing member of a key conservation collective stated that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and safeguarding local economies" in northwest India.

The lower, scrub-covered hills play a vital role in preventing desertification, boosting water tables and sustaining communities as per experts.

"The Aravalli range must not be categorized by height alone, but by its ecological, geological and climatic function," noted an ecology advocate involved in the movement 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 the ecosystem or combating desertification should be recognised as part of the range, irrespective of its height."

Protesters are calling for that the government define Aravalli areas using research-based parameters, encompassing topography, ecology, wildlife connectivity and environmental durability.

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

Opposition parties have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition could cause significant environmental degradation.

A senior politician declared that protecting the Aravallis is "inseparable from Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "life-support system," adding that without it, "the entire area 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 clear, unambiguous definition was required to oversee extraction consistently across states.

It further stated that the new definition covers the whole mountainous region – including slopes, associated landforms, and intervening areas – clearly safeguarding hill clusters and their connections.

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

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

It noted that mining remains prohibited in core "protected" areas – reserved woodlands, environmentally fragile zones, and wetlands – aside from certain critical, strategic, and atomic minerals permitted by law.

The Environment Minister said only about two percent of the vast Aravalli range might be open to extraction, and only after comprehensive assessments and formal clearance.

Nevertheless, many of the demonstrating organizations contend that protests will persist and that they are exploring legal options to challenge the court's new definition.