Ecological Crisis: 31.8% of Aravallis at Risk Due to New Definition
- Context: A satellite audit conducted by a conservation collective has revealed a significant threat to the Aravalli range following the Centre’s new classification. The findings suggest that a substantial portion of the mountain chain could lose its protected status, leading to severe environmental consequences for North India.
1. The Controversial 100-Metre Threshold
- The New Rule: The Central government has proposed a definition that fixes the height of a “hill” at 100 metres for legal protection purposes.
- The Impact: Areas falling below this arbitrary height threshold are now effectively stripped of their protected status, making them vulnerable to commercial exploitation and mining.
2. Satellite Audit Findings
- Massive Discrepancy: While the Centre claims only 0.19% of the area is affected by this definition, the independent satellite audit proves that **31.8% of the Aravalli range** is actually at risk.
- Data Sources: Climate scientists used high-resolution satellite data and the **FABDEM (Forest and Buildings Removed Copernicus Digital Elevation Model)** to conduct a forensic analysis of the range’s geography.
3. Threats to Water Security
- Recharge Zones: The low-elevation zones (below 100m) are not “wasteland” but serve as primary **water recharge zones** for the region.
- Impact on Millions: These hills are critical for maintaining the water table for nearly 30 crore people across Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR.
4. Expansion of the Thar Desert
- Dust Barriers: The Aravallis act as a natural wall, preventing the eastward drift of sand from the Thar Desert.
- Desertification Risk: Scientists identified critical gaps in the now-unprotected hills where the desert is already beginning to expand, threatening fertile lands in neighboring states.
5. Legal Status and Supreme Court
- Abeyance: The Supreme Court had previously put directions regarding the definition of the Aravalli hills in abeyance (temporary suspension).
- Policy Gap: Conservationists argue that the government is utilizing this period of legal ambiguity to push definitions that favor industry over ecology.
6. Demand for Total Mining Ban
- Zero Tolerance: The collective has demanded an immediate and complete ban on all mining activities across the entire Aravalli range.
- Strategic Exception: The only exception proposed is for the extraction of **rare earth minerals** deemed critical for strategic national use, provided it is done under strict oversight.
7. “Hill” vs. “Mountain” Distinction
- Arbitrary Classification: The group demands the abolition of any distinction between “hills” and “mountains” based on height.
- Geological Reality: They argue that the Aravallis—the world’s oldest fold mountain chain—must be viewed as a single, continuous ecological entity regardless of elevation.
8. The Risk to Biodiversity
- Wildlife Corridors: Low-lying ridges often serve as vital corridors for leopards and other wildlife moving between fragmented forest patches.
- Ecological Integrity: Stripping 31.8% of the area of protection disrupts the holistic health of the ecosystem, leading to a loss of indigenous flora and fauna.
9. Climate Change Mitigation
- Oldest Mountain Chain: As one of the world’s oldest geological features, the Aravallis play a unique role in regional climate regulation.
- Carbon Sinks: The forest cover on these hills serves as a vital carbon sink for one of the most polluted regions in the world.
10. Call for “Fully Protected Zone”
- Unified Status: The conservation group has called for the entire Aravalli range to be declared a **“fully protected zone”** to prevent further encroachment.
- Public Advocacy: The group emphasizes that this is a “people-driven” movement, urging citizens and policymakers to recognize that the range’s geological reality cannot be defined by arbitrary numerical thresholds.
Aravalli Ecological Crisis & Conservation Policy – Quiz
Instructions
Total Questions: 15
Time: 15 Minutes
Each question has 5 options. Multiple answers may be correct.
Time Left: 15:00