Context:
The Supreme Court of India has accepted the Centre’s new definition of the Aravalli Hills, restricting legal protection to landforms rising 100 metres or more above local relief.
This has triggered the nationwide #SaveAravalli campaign, with environmental experts and civil society warning of large-scale ecological risks.
About the Save Aravalli Campaign
- A citizen-led, expert-backed environmental movement opposing the dilution of legal and ecological protection for the Aravalli mountain range, one of the oldest geological systems in the world.
- Seeks holistic landscape-level protection, instead of a narrow elevation-based definition.
About Aravalli Hills
The Aravalli Hills are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world, stretching ~800 km from Gujarat–Rajasthan to Haryana–Delhi. Though modest in height, they are ecologically critical to north-western India.
Ecological & Economic Significance
- Climate buffer: Act as a barrier against Thar Desert dust, moderating heat and air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plains and Delhi-NCR.
- Water security: Recharge aquifers; sustain rivers like Chambal, Sabarmati, and Luni.
- Biodiversity: Support forests, commons, and wildlife corridors (leopards, birds).
- Livelihoods: Pastoralism, rain-fed agriculture, and ecosystem services.
Ecological Shield
- Act as the green lungs of North India
- Block desert dust from advancing eastwards
- Moderate regional climate
Water Security
- Recharge aquifers and sustain rivers such as:
- Chambal
- Sabarmati
- Luni
Climate Resilience
- Reduce:
- Heat extremes
- Drought vulnerability
- Air pollution levels
