The recent redefinition of the Aravalli Hills by the Supreme Court of India has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the country’s approach to protecting its natural landscapes. The new definition recognizes only landforms that rise at least 100 meters above the local terrain as part of the Aravalli hills, which could strip legal protection from over 90% of the existing hills. Critics argue that this change could have devastating consequences for the ecosystem and the people who depend on it.
The Aravalli hills are not just a series of isolated peaks, but a complex system of low-elevation ridges and hillocks that play a crucial role in shaping local microclimates, regulating dust and wind flows, and maintaining soil stability. These features are essential for environmental and climate resilience, and their loss could have significant impacts on groundwater recharge, agricultural productivity, and air quality.
The current legal definition is based on elevation alone, which is inadequate for protecting the ecological function of the Aravalli hills. Instead, India should adopt a functional ecological criteria that takes into account factors such as recharge potential, slope integrity, vegetation continuity, and corridor connectivity. This approach would ensure that the legislation protects what truly matters in environmental and climate resilience.
Climate adaptation and disaster-risk planning must also explicitly integrate these functional landscapes. The Aravalli hills have historically slowed desertification and regulated local microclimates, and their role will only grow in importance as climate change intensifies. Future climate risk frameworks should mandate that landscapes with measurable hydrological influence be incorporated into flood zonation, urban heat action plans, and drought preparedness strategies, regardless of arbitrary height thresholds.
The fundamentals of water security in rural India must also be foregrounded in any Aravalli policy. The Aravalli hills act as a vast, fractured rock sponge that captures monsoon rain and recharges groundwater aquifers. However, groundwater levels have fallen by over 60% in some areas, driven by over-extraction, loss of vegetation, and disruption of natural recharge zones. Policies that reduce legal protection of these recharge landscapes risk accelerating groundwater decline, threatening agricultural productivity, domestic water access, and industrial supply.
The Delhi-NCR region, which is home to over 46 million people, is also heavily dependent on the Aravalli hills for environmental resilience. The natural topographic barrier provided by the hills dampens dust transport from the Thar Desert and regional plains, and research indicates that when lower ridges are breached or removed, dust loads can spike by 4-6 times, exacerbating poor air quality episodes.
In conclusion, the redefinition of the Aravalli Hills highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to environmental protection in India. The government must adopt a functional ecological criteria that prioritizes the ecological function of the hills, rather than just their elevation. This approach would ensure that the legislation protects what truly matters in environmental and climate resilience, and would help to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the region.