Current Affairs Topics Archive
International Relations Economics Polity & Governance Environment & Ecology Science & Technology Internal Security Geography Social Issues Art & Culture Modern History

Committed to protecting the Aravalli hills, says Bhupender Yadav

March 10, 2026 5 min read Environment & Ecology Polity & Governance GS Paper 2 GS Paper 3
On This Page ▼

What Happened

  • Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, speaking in Parliament, reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting the Aravalli hill range and said the government is considering constituting a High-Powered Committee (HPC) as directed by the Supreme Court.
  • The Supreme Court had earlier stayed its own November 2025 order that had accepted a uniform 100-metre definition of the Aravalli hills recommended by a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) committee.
  • The apex court proposed an exhaustive high-powered expert panel to undertake a holistic re-examination of the issue, including whether regulated mining can be permitted in gaps between hills without compromising ecological continuity.
  • The government simultaneously affirmed that no new mining leases or renewals of old leases will be permitted in ecologically sensitive areas of the Aravalli range.
  • The matter is being heard amid ongoing controversies over illegal quarrying, deforestation, and real estate encroachment in Haryana and Rajasthan portions of the range.

Static Topic Bridges

The Aravalli Range — Geography, Ecology, and Strategic Significance

The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world, stretching approximately 700–800 km across four states — Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Its highest peak, Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu in Rajasthan, rises to about 1,722 metres. Geologically, the Aravallis are Precambrian in origin, making them among the oldest exposed rock formations on Earth.

  • Acts as a natural barrier checking the eastward spread of the Thar Desert into the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
  • Source of several important rivers: Banas, Luni, Sakhi, and Sabarmati; critical for groundwater recharge across an arid region.
  • Hosts 400+ native plant species, 200+ bird species, and mammals including leopard, striped hyena, Indian wolf, and nilgai.
  • Wildlife areas within the range include Sariska Tiger Reserve, Ranthambore National Park, and Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary.

Connection to this news: The Supreme Court's intervention to redefine "Aravalli hill" is significant precisely because the range's ecological boundaries have been repeatedly contested to enable mining and construction. A narrow definition shrinks the protected footprint; the HPC is expected to resolve this tension scientifically.

Aravalli Green Wall Project — Conservation Policy

Launched by MoEFCC in 2023, the Aravalli Green Wall Project aims to create a 1,400 km long and 5 km wide afforestation belt along both flanks of the range across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. The project covers over 1.15 million hectares and targets planting 50 million native trees including Arjuna, Dhau, Khejri, and Banyan species. It draws direct inspiration from Africa's Great Green Wall initiative.

  • Objectives: combat desertification, enhance biodiversity, restore soil health, and boost groundwater recharge.
  • Includes rainwater harvesting structures, check dams, and restoration of 20+ wetlands.
  • Positioned as a multi-state collaborative conservation model under Aatmanirbhar Bharat's green economy agenda.
  • Presented by India at UNCCD COP16 as a flagship land restoration initiative.

Connection to this news: The Aravalli Green Wall Project represents the government's proactive conservation approach for the same landscape under active judicial scrutiny. The Minister's emphasis on the Green Wall in Parliament signals that legal protection and ecological restoration are being pursued in tandem.

Mining in the Aravalli region is governed by a layered legal framework. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (Section 3) empowers the Central Government to restrict industrial operations — including mining — in ecologically sensitive areas. The EIA Notification of 2006, issued under this Act, mandates prior Environmental Clearance (EC) from MoEFCC's Expert Appraisal Committee for Category A mining projects. Mining leases also require clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 if forestland is involved.

  • EIA Notification 2006 classifies projects into Category A (appraised centrally) and Category B (appraised by State-level authorities).
  • Mining operations must comply with the approved mining plan and environmental clearance certificate; violations attract penalties under EPA 1986.
  • The Supreme Court's suo motu oversight of Aravalli mining dates to its 2002 orders in the Godavarman case lineage, extended to the Aravalli context through successive PILs.
  • The court has previously ordered closure of hundreds of illegal mining units in Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana.

Connection to this news: The Punjab and Haryana HC and Supreme Court's scrutiny of Aravalli mining underscores that legal clearance alone is insufficient — enforcement and physical monitoring are critical. The proposed HPC is intended to provide this independent expert oversight.

Supreme Court's Environmental Jurisprudence — Precautionary Principle

India's Supreme Court has developed a robust environmental jurisprudence grounded in the precautionary principle — a concept under which the absence of full scientific certainty is not a reason to postpone protective measures when there is a risk of serious or irreversible environmental harm. This principle, embedded in the Rio Declaration 1992 (Principle 15), was incorporated into Indian environmental law through the Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996) judgment.

  • The court in that case also recognised the "polluter pays" principle as part of Indian law.
  • The National Green Tribunal (NGT), established under the NGT Act 2010, adjudicates environmental disputes with expedited timelines and specialised benches.
  • The Supreme Court's decision to stay its own order and form an HPC exemplifies judicial restraint combined with evidence-based governance — consistent with the precautionary principle in practice.
  • India's constitutional Article 48A (DPSP) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty) together provide the constitutional basis for environmental protection.

Connection to this news: The Supreme Court staying its own definition order and creating fresh oversight machinery is a textbook application of the precautionary principle — prioritising ecological security over expedited resolution when scientific uncertainty persists about where the Aravalli hills begin and end.

Key Facts & Data

  • Aravalli Range length: ~700–800 km across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi
  • Highest peak: Guru Shikhar, Mount Abu, Rajasthan — 1,722 metres
  • Aravalli Green Wall Project: 1,400 km belt, 5 km wide, 1.15 million hectares, four states
  • Supreme Court definition contested: 100 metres above surrounding terrain = Aravalli hill
  • No new mining leases permitted in ecologically sensitive Aravalli zones (government position)
  • EIA Notification 2006: Category A mining projects require central MoEFCC clearance
  • Key legal provisions: EPA 1986 Section 3; Forest (Conservation) Act 1980; NGT Act 2010
  • Constitutional backing: Article 48A (DPSP — protect environment), Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty)
  • Precautionary Principle: Rio Declaration 1992, Principle 15; adopted in Indian law via Vellore Citizens case 1996