Adoption of new Aravalli definition is 'death warrant' for mountain range, say experts

Jaipur, Dec 11 (PTI) The recent Supreme Court order adopting the Centre's 100-metre definition for Aravalli hills and permitting sustainable mining is "a death warrant" for Rajasthan's oldest mountain range, experts said.

They argued that up to 90 per cent of the Aravallis could vanish in the coming years if the decision is implemented.

As per the new definition, "Aravali Hill" is any landform in designated Aravali districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief and an "Aravali Range" is a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.

At a seminar organised by Bharat Seva Sansthan at Prakrit Bharati auditorium here on Thursday, the experts argued that relying solely on a committee report allowed mining in an ecologically fragile belt spanning Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat.

Magasaysay awardee Rajendra Singh, known as the "Waterman of India," said earlier governments and courts took nature and environmental issues seriously, but that approach has disappeared.

"If this decision, meant to benefit one individual, is implemented, only 7-8 per cent of the Aravalli will survive," he said, calling for a legal battle as well as mass public mobilisation.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Tika Ram Jully endorsed the campaign, saying, "If the Aravalli doesn't survive, nothing will." Activist Jayesh Joshi said the first concern should be the tribal communities who have lived off the Aravalli ecosystem for thousands of years. Pradeep Poonia, also an activist, warned that if mining expands, "not just the hills but agriculture, wildlife and sanctuaries will be wiped out".

Congress leader Vaibhav Gehlot termed the situation alarming. "If we don't act now, future generations will never forgive us.

Jhalana Leopard Safari, Ranthambore and Sariska survive because of the Aravalli," he said, stressing that protecting the range is crucial for Rajasthan's economy.

G S Bapna, former Advocate General and secretary of Bharat Seva Sansthan, urged the Centre to bring a "Mountain Conservation Act" similar to the Forest Conservation Act.

"Once mining begins, the available technology can flatten the Aravalli in days," he warned.

Speakers said unrestricted mining would worsen desertification, strain water resources, and trigger irreversible ecological damage. They vowed to challenge the order through legal means while building a people's movement to safeguard nature. PTI AG AMJ AMJ