Aravalli Hills Definition by MoEFCC: Legal and Environmental Analysis

Authored By: Ansh Mehrotra

APS UNIVERSITY

Introduction & Definition of Aravalli Hills

The Aravalli Hills are an ancient mountain range in the northwestern part of India & one of the oldest mountain range systems (over 1.5 million years old). The Aravalli Hills is a group of old fold mountains that runs from southeast to northeast. The general elevation of the hills is 800 m. The Aravalli Hills stretch from Delhi to Gujarat, passing through Haryana and Rajasthan, and extend roughly 800 km (the range is about 672 km from Gujarat to Delhi). It ends in Raisina Hills in Delhi. JNU University & The Delhi Rashtrapati Bhavan, located on Raisina Hill (400-600 m) in New Delhi, are an extended part of the Aravalli Hills.

The Aravalli has a significant importance in balancing the ecosystem of India and is being termed as the lungs of India. Jaigarh, Amer, Jaigarh Fort of Jaipur, and India’s largest fort, i.e., Chittorgarh Fort, are also built on parts of Aravalli Hills. The Guru Shikhar (1722 m), situated in the Mt. Abu Hills, is the highest peak of the Aravalli Hills. They were very high millions of years ago, but with time, rain and wind have worn them out and eroded them.

Role of Aravalli Hills in Environment Protection

The Aravalli Hills act as a natural barrier for North India between the Thar Desert and the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It prevents desertification from western India moving eastward. Aravalli helps as a major groundwater recharge zone for Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. It hosts dry deciduous forests, wildlife corridors & mineral-rich geology. It is a house to 400 plant species, 200 bird species, and various mammals. 20 reptile species and various mammals live here. Aravalli also provides moisture to the atmosphere and traps the heat.

MOEFCC’s Definition of Aravalli Hills & Ranges

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has submitted a report to the Supreme Court, and in that report, there were two definitions, horizontal and vertical, which were

1. Vertical Definition states that only landforms that rise at least 100 meters above the surrounding terrain can be legally classified as “hills” or part of the Aravalli Hills.

2. Horizontal Definition states that if two or more hills are within 500 meters of each other, then only they will be considered as the Aravalli Range. If distance exceeds 500 m, they will be treated separately.

The State of Rajasthan has been following this definition since 9th January, 2006. During deliberations, all states agreed to adopt the aforementioned uniform criterion of “100 meters above local relief” for regulating mining in the Aravalli region, as had been in force in Rajasthan since 09.01.2006, while unanimously agreeing to make it more objective and transparent.

Loopholes in the Definition

Many people are worried because the new report on the Aravalli hills uses a very narrow and confusing definition that can weaken their protection. The report says that only those hills will be considered part of the Aravalli range if they are at least 100 meters higher than the surrounding land. The problem is that the report does not clearly explain what “surrounding land” means. Land levels can change due to mining, construction, or dumping, so the height difference can be manipulated. Even though sea level is the same everywhere, the land itself is not at the same height in all places. This means that many real Aravalli hills may fail to meet the 100-meter rule and will stop being legally recognized as Aravalli, even though they exist physically.

If a hill is not counted as part of the Aravalli range, important laws like the Forest Conservation Act will not apply to it. Once these laws do not apply, there will be little legal protection left, and mining and construction activities can easily be allowed. This creates a serious risk that builders and mining companies will cut and destroy the hills in a legal way.
Although new mining leases are said to be banned, plans like the Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) can still decide where mining is allowed. A similar situation happened in the Saranda Forest in Jharkhand, where most of the forest was first declared a no-mining zone based on scientific studies, but later, after valuable minerals were found, protected areas were reopened for mining in the name of reassessment. People fear that the same loopholes are now being created for the Aravalli hills, which could slowly remove their protection and cause permanent environmental damage.

Environmental Degradation & Impact of Mining in Aravalli Hills

A large part of the Aravalli are low-lying eroded or undulating hill systems, not sharp peaks. Under the new interpretation, 80-90% of traditionally recognized Aravalli terrain may lose legal protection. These areas may become eligible for mining construction and real estate development. Environmentalists argue that the Aravalli are a continuous ecological system, not just tall hill peaks, and height-based criteria ignore geology, ecology, and hydrology. Forest land and hill rocks earlier protected under court orders could be reclassified as “non-hill land.”

Only 8.7% of mountains are bigger than 100 meters. All others are less than that. There are 12 cracks between Ajmer and Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan & up to Mahendragarh in Haryana. The Thar Desert Sand directly flows into Delhi NCR through that. Out of 12081 hills of the Aravalli Range, 11033 hills are there that are not able to qualify for the 100-meter rule to be called up as hills. As only 1048 hills are above 100 meters. 91.3% of Mountain Hills are in danger.

As many environmentalists, hydrologists & geologists warn of irreversible damage such as the air and dust storm directly entering, as there will be no barrier. Their degradation could worsen PM10 and PM2.5 levels in Delhi-NCR, already among the worst globally. A groundwater crisis will happen as the Aravalli rock system stores water, and it will slowly start releasing water. Mining blasts fracture aquifers, causing falling water tables and drying of wells & lakes.

Role of the Supreme Court and Legal Validity

The Supreme Court clarified that the intent was to ensure scientific mapping and clarity, not to encourage reckless mining. It directed the preparation of detailed geological and environmental maps. We will work on the creation of a regulated sustainable mining framework. As when the environmentalists have already warned that redefining hills is equivalent to legalizing environmental destruction. A Supreme Court-appointed committee in 2018 found that in Rajasthan 31 of 128 Aravali hills disappeared in 50 years because of illegal quarrying, and 10-12 large gaps opened up in the Aravalli, as mentioned above in the article. The Supreme Court has established that protection of the Aravallis derives from:

Constitutional Provisions: Articles 48A and 51A(g) mandate environmental protection as a fundamental duty.
Forest Conservation Act, 1980: Restricts diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes
Environment Protection Act, 1986: Empowers central government to protect ecologically sensitive areas
Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900: Specifically applicable to controlling land erosion in certain Aravalli areas.

Landmark Case Judgments

Aravali Bachao Citizens Movement v. Union of India (Multiple Orders)

The Aravalli hills (one of the oldest mountain ranges in India) were being destroyed due to mining, construction, and illegal activities. A group of citizens filed a case saying, “The Aravalli hills protect Delhi and nearby areas from desertification.” They are important for water, forests, wildlife, and climate. Unchecked mining and construction were damaging them badly. The court ordered the illegal mining to stop in many parts of the Aravalli region. Said that environmental protection is more important than short-term profit Ordered governments to protect forests, hills, and groundwater. Repeatedly reminded authorities that environmental laws must be strictly followed

Gainda Ram V. MoEFCC & Ors.

People were living and working inside forest areas for many years, but they were treated as illegal occupants. Authorities tried to remove them without considering their rights. Ganga Ram argued that forest dwellers have traditional and legal rights.

The government must follow the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

People should not be evicted without proper process and rehabilitation.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals v. Rohit Prajapati (2020)

A pharmaceutical company was accused of polluting the environment. Violating environmental laws Operating without proper permissions

What did the company argue?

They said, “They were contributing to the economy.” Any violations were minor or technical.

What did the Supreme Court say? The Court clearly said: Big companies are not above environmental law. Economic development cannot justify pollution. Industries must strictly follow: Environmental clearances Pollution control norms Heavy penalties and strict action are justified for violations.

Conclusion

The Aravalli Hills are not just old mountains; they are a natural shield that protects North India, especially Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. They stop the sand from spreading, store groundwater, support forests and wildlife, and help control climate and rainfall. If the Aravalli hills are damaged, the effects will be felt by everyone—through more dust storms, worse air pollution, water shortages, and rising temperatures. The new definition given by the MoEFCC, which says that only land rising 100 meters above surrounding land can be called a hill, is very risky. Most of the Aravalli hills are low, worn-out, and spread out. They do not look like tall mountains, but they still perform very important environmental functions. If the rule is applied, the mountain collectively will not be said to be the Aravali Hills and the forest, and environmental acts may not apply to this. Schedule 6 of the constitution will not apply to this, as the power will be driven to the central government. Once the hills are cut or mined, they cannot be brought back. The damage to air, water, soil, and climate will be permanent. The Supreme Court has played a very important role by repeatedly stopping illegal mining and reminding governments that environmental protection is more important than short-term economic gain.

In simple words, protecting the Aravalli Hills means protecting our air, water, health, and future. Weak definitions and loopholes can destroy them silently. If we fail to protect them today, future generations will pay the price tomorrow.

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