The Reason The Nation's Aravalli Hills Are at the Centre of Escalating Unrest.

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 – among the planet's most ancient mountain ranges stretching across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital territory.

As per the revised criteria, accepted by the court based on central government recommendations, an Aravalli hill is any landform with a minimum elevation of 100 metres (328 ft) from the adjacent land. Two or more such hills less than half a kilometre of each other, along with the land between them, are deemed to be an Aravalli range.

Environmentalists argue that defining Aravalli hills by height risks leaving numerous shorter, vegetation-clad but ecologically critical hills vulnerable to mining and construction.

The central administration, on the other hand, maintains that the revised definition is meant to enhance oversight and establish consistency and not weaken protections.

What is Sparking the Demonstrations?

This weekend, peaceful protests took place in cities such as Gurugram and Udaipur, led by community members, farmers, green activists, and, in some cases, lawyers and political groups.

An organizing member of a prominent conservation collective commented that the new definition risks undermining the critical role of the Aravalli range in "preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and protecting livelihoods" in northwest India.

The shorter, vegetated hills play a vital role in stopping desert creep, boosting water tables and sustaining communities as per experts.

"This mountain system must not be categorized solely by elevation, but by its environmental, physical and weather-related function," noted an ecology advocate associated with the campaign to preserve the Aravallis.

He added that, globally, mountains and hill systems are classified by the functions they perform, not by arbitrary elevation thresholds.

"Any landform that is structurally a component of the Aravalli system and plays a critical role in ecology or combating desertification must be acknowledged as a component of the system, 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, heightening the risk of environmental harm.

Opposition parties have stepped up criticism, cautioning that the new definition might lead to significant environmental degradation.

A senior politician declared that safeguarding the Aravallis is "fundamentally linked to Delhi's survival." Another leader called the range the state's "lifeline," stating that without it, "a vast region up to Delhi would have turned into a desert."

What Does the Government Say?

India's central government has attempted to minimize these apprehensions.

In a official release, it asserted the new definition is meant to bolster governance and bring uniformity, noting that a clear, unambiguous definition was needed to regulate mining consistently across states.

It added that the new definition covers the whole mountainous region – incorporating slopes, associated landforms, and connecting zones – explicitly protecting hill clusters and their linkages.

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

The government says areas inside the Aravalli hills or ranges are not eligible for new mining leases, while current operations can continue if they follow environmentally sound practices.

It added that mining remains prohibited in core "protected" areas – reserved woodlands, eco-sensitive zones, and wetlands – aside from certain essential, national security, and nuclear minerals allowed by law.

The minister responsible for ecology indicated only about two percent of the 147,000 sqkm Aravalli range could potentially be mined, and only after detailed studies and official approval.

However, many of the protesting groups say that protests will persist and that they are exploring legal options to challenge the court's new definition.