Gehlot calls Centre's report on Aravallis in SC 'death certificate' for mountain range

Jaipur, Dec 16 (PTI) Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the Union government's report to limit the scope of the Aravalli mountain range is like signing a 'death certificate' for 90 per cent of the state's Aravallis.

He said that the Aravalli range is not just a mountain for Rajasthan; it is the 'protective shield.' "The Union government has submitted a report to the Supreme Court that has effectively shrunk the scope of the Aravallis. The Aravalli range is our 'protective shield.' Limiting it to a '100-meter' scope based on the Union government's recommendation is tantamount to signing a 'death certificate' for 90 per cent of the state's Aravallis," he said.

Gehlot said that 90 per cent of the Aravalli hills in Rajasthan are lower than 100 meters in height. "If these are excluded from the definition, it is not merely a change of name, but the removal of a legal shield. This directly implies that the Forest Conservation Act will no longer apply in these areas, allowing for unfettered mining," he said.

He said that a mountain is defined not by its height, but by its geological structure. "A small rock is part of the same tectonic plate and mountain range as a towering peak. Separating the two is scientifically irrational," he said.

The Congress leader said that the Aravalli is a wall that prevents the Thar desert from expanding. Experts warn that even smaller hills (ridges) of 10 to 30 meters are equally effective in blocking dust storms.

"Opening these small hills to mining is akin to personally inviting the desert to expand into Delhi and eastern Rajasthan," he said.

Highlighting its features, Gehlot said that the rocky structure of the Aravallis intercepts rainwater and channels it underground.

"These hills act as groundwater recharge zones for the entire region. Removing them is an invitation to drought in north-west India, a region already grappling with water scarcity. The Aravalli is the barrier that stops the deadly heat waves from the west and prevents the Thar desert from encroaching upon the fertile plains of eastern Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Gehlot said that the decision is not about environmental protection; it is a 'red carpet' for mining mafias.

"History will never forgive the injustice the government is inflicting upon the future generations by inviting the Thar desert right up to Delhi's doorstep. The irony is that this hearing began in the Supreme Court to clearly identify and protect the Aravallis. Yet, the very recommendation by the Union government that the court accepted has technically made 90 per cent of the Aravallis disappear," he said. PTI SDA MNK MNK