New Delhi, July 24: The future protection of the Aravali mountain range has come under renewed focus as a Supreme Court-appointed high powered committee seeks public suggestions and expert opinions on defining the Aravalis. The committee constituted in May 2026, is expected to submit its report by August 31, and its recommendations could shape future policies on mining, conservation and land use across the region.
The debate centres on a uniform definition approved by the Supreme Court in November 2025, based on recommendations from the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Central Empowered Committee. Under the proposed criteria, a hill would qualify as part of the Aravalis only if it rises at least 100 metres above the surrounding terrain, while a mountain range must comprise two or more such hills located within 500 metres of one another.
Environmentalists, former forest officials and petitioners have opposed the proposed definition, arguing that it is too restrictive and overlooks the ecological continuity of the mountain system. According to Forest Survey of India data, more than 12,000 hill features have been identified across the Aravali landscape, but fewer than 1,100 meet the proposed 100 metre elevation criterion. They warn that more than 90 per cent of the hills traditionally recognised as part of the Aravalis could lose legal protection if the definition is implemented.
Experts say the Aravalis, stretching nearly 670 kilometres from Gujarat through Rajasthan to Haryana and Delhi NCR, play a vital ecological role. The ancient mountain range acts as a natural barrier against the eastward spread of the Thar Desert, helps recharge groundwater, moderates local climate, reduces dust movement, stores carbon through its forests and provides an important wildlife corridor across northwestern India.
The region has witnessed decades of degradation due to mining, urban expansion, infrastructure projects and encroachments. Rajasthan has experienced extensive mining and soil erosion, while Haryana has seen severe fragmentation of the hills. Around Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh, environmental experts have warned that breaches in the mountain chain have allowed dust laden winds from the Thar Desert to travel deeper into the Delhi NCR region. Mining activities have also contributed to declining groundwater levels in several parts of the Aravali landscape.
The Supreme Court has already frozen the grant of new mining leases across the Aravalis until states prepare comprehensive Management Plans for Sustainable Mining. Mining remains prohibited in ecologically sensitive areas, including wildlife corridors, Eco Sensitive Zones, tiger reserves and wetlands.
The committee recommendations are expected to determine whether the Aravalis are protected through a broader ecological approach or a narrower elevation-based definition. Environmental experts believe the decision will have long term implications for biodiversity conservation, groundwater security, climate regulation and efforts to combat desertification across northwestern India.