Supreme Court redefines Aravalli hillsCEFR B2
31 Jan 2026
Adapted from Abhimanyu Bandyopadhyay, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Agnese Kisune, Unsplash
The Aravalli range runs for nearly 670 kilometres from Gujarat to New Delhi and is older than the Himalayas. It plays several ecological roles: recharging groundwater, slowing the eastward advance of the Thar Desert and moderating temperatures in an area suffering heatwaves and heavy air pollution. The hills support biodiversity and form much of the forest cover of the Delhi National Capital Region.
On 20 November 2025 the Supreme Court of India accepted a proposal from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to redefine which land counts as Aravalli hills. The new definition recognises only landforms that rise at least 100 metres above local ground level, together with their slopes and adjoining areas. The court ordered a temporary pause on new mining leases, but said long‑term legal protection would apply only to features meeting the 100‑metre threshold. The judgment was among the final decisions delivered by Chief Justice Bhushan Gavai before his retirement.
The redefinition prompted serious protests across India. The government described the change as administrative uniformity across four states, while environmental experts said it ignored geological and ecological continuity. Many environmentalists fear that nearly the entire Aravalli system could now be exposed to mining and real estate development. Campaigners point to ongoing illegal extraction despite past bans in 2002 and 2009; volunteers who went into Mewat in 2020 and 2021 recorded unlawful mining, blasting often ending around 10 a.m., makeshift vehicle tracks and camels used to carry material. A Deputy Superintendent of Police was killed while investigating illegal mining about two years ago.
- Campaigners demand better law enforcement.
- They ask for a working toll‑free complaint number.
- They call for drone surveillance to spot illegal sites.
- They report police detentions and CID inquiries into activists.
The immediate effect of the court order is a pause on new leases, but its long‑term consequences remain contested and have led to renewed public mobilisation to protect the Aravallis.
Difficult words
- recharge — put water back into underground aquifersrecharging
- moderate — make temperatures or conditions less extrememoderating
- biodiversity — variety of plant and animal life
- lease — legal right to use land for activityleases
- redefine — change a formal meaning or boundary
- ecological — relating to living things and environment
- illegal — not permitted or allowed by the law
- mobilisation — effort to organise people for collective action
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What practical steps from the article (for example, a toll-free number or drone surveillance) do you think would best help stop illegal mining, and why?
- How might changing the legal definition of a natural area affect local communities and the environment? Give specific examples based on the article.
- The article mentions both administrative uniformity and ecological continuity. Which should be the priority when defining protected land, and what trade-offs are involved?
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