The Great Disappearing Act: Why India Cannot Define the Aravalli Hills

​The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest geological features on our planet. It predates the Himalayas by hundreds of millions of years. It acts as a green lung for the National Capital Region and stands as a vital barrier against the relentless march of the Thar Desert. Yet, in a bizarre twist of administrative gridlock, the Indian government has spent over a year trying to define exactly what an Aravalli is, and so far, they have failed.

​It sounds like a joke. How can you lose a mountain range? You can see the rocks. You can walk on the trails. You can map the peaks from space. But in the world of policy, law, and real estate, if you don't have a legal definition, the land essentially doesn't exist as a protected entity. This failure is not just a matter of semantics. It is a crisis of conservation that threatens the ecological balance of North India.

​The Problem of Living Without Borders

​For more than twelve months, a high-level committee has been tasked with creating a uniform definition for the Aravallis. This effort was triggered by the need to clarify which areas fall under the "Natural Conservation Zone." Without a clear boundary, the hills are vulnerable to different interpretations by different states. Haryana sees it one way, Rajasthan another, and Delhi has its own perspective.

​When there is no clear definition, the "grey area" becomes a playground for developers. If a patch of land isn't officially labeled as part of the Aravallis, it is much easier to get permits for mining, housing projects, or industrial plants. The longer the government stalls on a definition, the more of the range disappears under the weight of concrete and stone crushers.

​A History of Legal Tug of War

​The struggle to protect these hills is not new. For decades, the Supreme Court of India has been the primary guardian of the range. The court has repeatedly stepped in to stop illegal mining and encroachments. However, the court relies on the government to provide the technical framework for protection.

​The current delay is particularly frustrating because the criteria for defining a hill range are scientifically established. You look at the slope, the elevation, the geological composition, and the continuity of the ridge. However, when these scientific facts meet political and economic interests, the process slows down to a crawl. The committee has met multiple times, reviewed maps, and discussed satellite data, yet the final document remains elusive.

​Why the Definition Matters for Your Health

​You might wonder why a city dweller in Gurugram or Delhi should care about a bureaucratic definition. The answer lies in the air you breathe and the water you drink. The Aravallis act as a massive groundwater recharge zone. The fractured rocks of the hills allow rainwater to seep into the earth, replenishing the aquifers that provide water to millions of people.

​Furthermore, the hills are a natural barrier against dust storms coming from the west. As the green cover on the Aravallis thins out due to undefined land use, the desert sands find a clearer path into the heart of the NCR. This leads to higher particulate matter in the air and rising temperatures in the summer. Defining the Aravallis is not just about saving trees; it is about ensuring that the region remains habitable for future generations.

​The Conflict Between State and Center

​One of the biggest hurdles in reaching a consensus is the difference in priorities between state governments and the central government. States often view the Aravallis as a source of revenue. Mining for pink sandstone and quartz is a massive industry. Real estate in the foothills of the Aravallis is some of the most expensive property in the country.

​If the definition is too broad, it locks up thousands of acres of land where development would otherwise be possible. If it is too narrow, it leaves ecologically sensitive zones exposed to destruction. The government is currently caught in a balancing act that seems impossible to settle. By trying to please everyone, they are effectively protecting no one.

​The Role of Satellite Mapping and Technology

​In the modern age, we have the tools to solve this. We have high-resolution satellite imagery that can pinpoint every rock and shrub. We have Geographic Information System mapping that can create a 3D model of the entire range. The technology is not the bottleneck.

​The bottleneck is the "ground-truthing" process. This is where officials must verify the satellite data on the physical ground. This process is often manipulated. Forests are sometimes not recorded as forests. Hills are flattened in reports to make them look like "wasteland." This manual interference in digital data is one reason why the definition remains a moving target.

​The Wildlife That Calls It Home

​While humans argue over maps, the wildlife of the Aravallis is losing its home. The range is a critical corridor for leopards, hyenas, jackals, and hundreds of species of birds. Leopards in particular need large, contiguous territories to survive. When the range is fragmented by roads and buildings because of a lack of legal protection, human-wildlife conflict increases.

​We have seen an increase in leopard sightings in residential colonies in Gurugram and Faridabad. This isn't because the leopard population is exploding. It is because their home is being shrunk by the day. A unified definition would allow for the creation of wildlife corridors that ensure these animals can move safely without entering human settlements.

​The Cost of Economic Growth

​There is a common argument that strict environmental laws hamper economic growth. Proponents of this view say that India needs infrastructure and that the Aravallis provide the raw materials for that growth. However, this is a short-term perspective. The cost of losing the ecosystem services provided by the Aravallis far outweighs the profit from a few years of mining.

​If the groundwater disappears and the air becomes unbreathable, the economic productivity of the entire National Capital Region will plummet. Businesses will leave, and healthcare costs will skyrocket. Protecting the Aravallis is an investment in the long-term economic stability of the country.

​What Happens if We Fail?

​If the government continues to fail in defining the Aravallis, we will see a "death by a thousand cuts" scenario. It won't be one single event that destroys the hills, but rather thousands of small encroachments, legal loopholes, and "exceptions" made for specific projects.

​Slowly, the continuous ridge will become a series of isolated hillocks. The forests will turn into patches of scrub. The seasonal streams will dry up permanently. By the time we realize the full extent of the damage, it will be too late to reverse. Nature does not wait for committee reports or cabinet approvals.

​A Call for Transparency and Urgency

​The public deserves to know why this process is taking so long. The deliberations of the committee should be made public, and the maps being used should be open for scrutiny by environmental experts and citizens. Transparency is the only way to ensure that the definition is based on science rather than political pressure.

​The government must realize that every day of delay is a victory for those who wish to exploit the land. A year is already too long for a task that involves protecting one of the most significant natural landmarks in India. We need a definition that is robust, scientifically sound, and legally binding.

​Conclusion

​The Aravallis have stood for nearly two billion years. They have survived tectonic shifts and climatic upheavals. It would be a tragedy of historic proportions if they were finally brought down by a failure of administrative paperwork.

​Defining the Aravallis is a test of our national will to protect our environment. It is about deciding what we value more: a few more years of mining and real estate profits, or a sustainable future for the millions of people who live in the shadow of these ancient hills. The government needs to stop dragging its feet and give the Aravallis the identity and protection they deserve.