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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

THE VANISHING ARAVALLIS

“31 hills or hillocks have disappeared. If hills will

disappear in the country, what will happen? Have
people become ‘Hanuman’ that they are running away
with hills?”

Justice Madan Lokur

Image Source: Economic Times

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INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND However, the Aravallis range as it stands

The Aravalli hills of India are the oldest today is threatened due to deforestation, land

mountain range on earth. Spread across four degradation, encroachments, developmental

states in India, the Aravallis stretch from activities and mining. This has led to serious

South West in Gujarat, Rajasthan to North consequences like the desertification,

East in Delhi and Haryana and play an increase in frequency of dust storms, drying

important role in shaping the west-Indian up of lakes, loss of biodiversity, human

climate and biodiversity. wildlife conflicts, air pollution etc.

Source: Wildlife Institute of India

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Many studies like the one by Wildlife Institute Apart from the issues brought up and
of India (WII)1 also highlight that the shrinking adjudicated by the judiciary, the CAG
green cover in the Aravallis is a major reason (Comptroller and Auditor General) report
for the increase in the intensity of dust storms tabled in Rajasthan legislature earlier this year
in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Besides, pointed out that between 2011-12 and 2016-
according to a report submitted by the 17, minerals worth 204.5crore were illegally
Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to the extracted in five districts of Rajasthan.4 The
Supreme Court, 31 out of 128 hills mapped by report also pointed out that besides flouting
the Forest Survey of India have disappeared in the court orders to stop degradation in the
the Rajasthan state. Expressing its shock over Aravallis and allowing mining without
the disappearance of the hills and linking it to environmental clearance, the authorities had
the possible cause of pollution in the Delhi also failed to effectively implement the
NCR, the Apex Court passed an order during Rajasthan Mineral Policy, 2011 which aims to
the proceedings of the Case T.N. check illegal mining.
GODAVARMAN THIRUMULPAD VERSUS
Various civil society organizations also
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS2. The order
recently protested against the National
directed the government of Rajasthan to stop
Highway Authority of India (NHAI) proposed
illegal mining in a 115.34-hectare area in
road plan passing through the Aravalli
Aravalli hills within 48 hours. Previously the
Biodiversity Park in Gurugram. Last year,
court had also ordered the demolition of
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in a study on
buildings in Faridabad’s Kant Enclave that
Haryana Aravallis found that developmental
came up after August 18, 1992.3
activities are leading to deforestation and
threat to wildlife.
1
Mapping Land use/ Land cover Patterns in Aravallis
Haryana with Reference to Status of Key Wildlife
Species, May 2017
2
Writ petition(civil) 202/1995
3
[Link] 4

ews/supreme-court-orders-demolition-of-buildings-in- [Link]
faridabad-s-kant-enclave/story- -paper/cag-pulls-up-rajasthan-for-rampant-illegal-
[Link] mining/[Link]/amp/

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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

Despite the various reports and judgments necessary to understand the significance of
that have time and again documented the Aravallis and the major threats to the oldest
plunder, degradation and exploitation of the fold hills. Further, this issue of Policy watch
Aravallis, the hills continue to face several explores the possible impact of its denudation
challenges. In this context it becomes and proposes measures that need to be taken
to save ‘The Vanishing Aravallis.’

The Aravallis (Source: Down to Earth)

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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

THE ARAVALLIS: SIGNIFICANCE also moderated the wind velocity and

checked the spread of the Indian Desert
For more than three billion years, the
(Thar) towards eastern Rajasthan, Indo
Aravallis have provided a watershed between
Gangetic plains, Haryana and Western UP.5 It
the Indus basin in the North West and the
has also provided a rich habitat for wildlife
Ganga basin in the East. Its forested patches
and is a rich source of minerals like
have acted as green lungs against the air
silica, quartz and other stones.
pollution and soil erosion. The hills

Combating Important drainage system

Desertification and water divide between
the Indus in the North West
and the Ganga in the East.

The forested patches act

as the green lungs
against the air pollution.

Rich Source of
Minerals

Rich habitat for

Biodiversity

Source: Times of India

(Edited Picture)
5
page i, Mapping Land use/ Land cover Patterns in
Aravallis Haryana with Reference to Status of Key
Wildlife Species, May 2017

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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

MAJOR THREATS TO THE India,8 but due to the great demand of

ARAVALLIS: construction materials; mining-legal and

MINING illegal, both have been rampant in the region,

especially in Rajasthan and Haryana.
The Aravallis range is rich in non-ferrous
As reported by the CAG9, in eight operating
minerals like Zinc, Gold, silver 6and ferrous
leases in the jurisdiction of three Mining
minerals like Copper ore and lead, non-
Engineer (ME)10 offices, the lease holders
metallic minerals and building stones like
excavated 38.23 lakh MT minerals during April
marble, limestone etc. Lured by the huge
2010 to March 2017 causing degradation of
mineral reserves and strong-layered stones in
environment in the Aravalli hills. Scrutiny of
this region, both miners and constructors had
the records of nine Mining Engineers
been exploiting the ranges since the
AME/ME offices in Rajasthan by CAG revealed
late years of the 20th century. 7
illegal mining of nearly 99 lakh MT during
Due to increase in urbanization, building and 2011-12 to 2016-17. The Department,
construction activities in and around Delhi, however, could recover only ` 25.57 crore
the demand for red Badarpur sand, silica, against recoverable amount of ` 204.50
quartz and other stones has been growing crore.11 Under the jurisdiction of these nine
constantly. Although, mining operations in offices the government had registered 4,072
the area of Aravalli hills of Rajasthan has been cases of illegal mining, illegal transportation
prohibited by honorable Supreme Court of
8
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK
SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3032 “PROHIBITED
MINING AREAS”
9
Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of
6
India on Economic Sector for the year ended 31 March
Rathore, N.S., 2009. The study of the environment and 2017 (Government of Rajasthan, Report No. 5 of the
its impact in the Aravalli Mountain Range in the study year 2017) (Tabled in State legislature in February,
of the changing environment and its impact in the 2018)
10
Aravalli Mountain Range in the western Region of Rajasamand-I, Rajasamand-II and Uaipur
11
India. Udaipur, Rajasthan. Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of
7 India on Economic Sector for the year ended 31 March
[Link]
2017 (Government of Rajasthan, Report No. 5 of the
CTS_OF_MINING_IN_THE_ARAVALLIS_AND_THE_CREA year 2017) (Tabled in State legislature in February,
TION_OF_INDUSTRIAL_WASTE 2018)

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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

and illegal storage of mineral during 2011-12

to 2016-17 (see table below).

Source: CAG Report No. 5 (2017), Government of Rajasthan.

thereby razing one of the oldest mountain
The extent of mining as evident from these ranges to dust”12
figures is such that the hills of Aravallis have
Although mining provides for material and
almost been wiped out. “The Faridabad
resources needed for development of sectors
Gurgaon Minerals has carried out excessive
like transport, construction, industrial etc, it
mining of stones in the Sirohi and Khori
has also led to serious concerns- social,
Jamalpur mines to cater to the entire
environmental, physical and so on in and
construction material demand in the region,
around the mining areas, as is also seen in the
besides the Delhi market. In the village of
case of Aravallis. The situation is further
Choorpur, the mafia, in collusion with a
worsened in the case of Illegal mining.
section of the villagers, the police, forest and
mining departments, fit dynamites at
dangerous heights and then blast the hills, 12
[Link]
ECTS_OF_MINING_IN_THE_ARAVALLIS_AND_THE_CRE
ATION_OF_INDUSTRIAL_WASTE

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According to the CAG report13, ‘mining To Information (RTI), according to which only
without a licence, mining outside lease area, 2 out of the 85 mines operating near the
raising of minerals without paying royalty, Sariska National Park had been granted the
etc. constitute illegal mining. It puts pressure RSPCB’s consent to operate (CTO) whereas
on environment because these do not comply none had been given the given the
with any regulations or environmental Environmental Clearance (EC).14
conditions.’
This shows that in case of Aravallis, several
This has also been a serious threat to the laws, policies and the SC orders have been
protected wildlife areas as well. As seen flouted and have a long history of not being
during the proceeding of a case in the implemented effectively thereby, leading to
National Green Tribunal, (NGT) the petitioner the making of a possible environmental
presented the responses to Right disaster.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR MINING IN INDIA

The process or business of extracting ore or minerals from the ground is known as Mining. Mineral extraction
activities in the State are regulated under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)
Act, 1957 and rules/policies made there under. The mining leases/quarry licenses are granted by the Mines and
Geology Department (MGD) of the respective State Government. The applicant also has to obtain approvals before
the grant of mining lease/quarry license for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes and Environmental
Clearance (EC) from Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India (GoI). Beside this, all projects
irrespective of being major mineral or minor mineral in area of five hectares to less than 50 hectares were required
to have prior EC from the SEIAA and projects in area of 50 hectares and above were required to have prior EC from
the MoEFas per the EIA notification, 2006. (This has been subsequently amended to include projects less than 5
hectares also.) A Consent To Operate (CTO) is also needed to be obtained from the State Pollution Control Board.

The lessee is also required to furnish reports on production of minerals and the measures for environmental
protection to the Mines Department and the respective state Pollution Control Board.

13
Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of
India on Economic Sector for the year ended 31 March
2017 (Government of Rajasthan, Report No. 5 of the
14
year 2017) (Tabled in State legislature in February, [Link]
2018) complete-ban-on-mining-in-rajasthans-alwar-48487

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Developmental Activities

Another major cause that has directly and 12000

10000
indirectly threatened the hills is development 8000
6000
activities and growing urbanization. This has 4000 1972-75
2000
0 1982-84
directly pushed up the demand for
Change in forest cover in
infrastructure and therefore materials to 16 districts of Rajasthan
(sq km)
build the same, which has led to rampant
mining, mostly illegal, leading to razing of the Data Source: Rathore, N.S. and Verma, N., 2013. Impact of

hills to the ground. climate change in the southern Rajasthan, India

Indirectly, this has posed a challenge in the

form of encroachment and disturbing the hills Another recent example of this includes the
ecosystem and as a result leading to large proposal of a six lane road to enhance
scale deforestation of the Aravallis forests. connectivity between Delhi and Manesar, to
During 1972-75, the 16 Aravalli districts in run along the periphery of the Aravalli
Rajasthan recorded 10,462 sq km of area Biodiversity Park in Gurugram. This invited
under various categories of forest cover. Less protests from the civil society organizations as
than a decade in 1981-84, the forest cover ‘it would have a collateral impact on the flora
15
reduced to 6,116 sqkm. and fauna, affect the water recharge
potential and the air quality of the city.’16

15
NRSA Summary Report, 1984. Mapping of Forest
cover in India from Satellite Imagery 1972-75 and
1980-82, Summary Report of Rajasthan, NRSA, 1984.
Cited in Rathore, N.S. and Verma, N., 2013. Impact of
16
climate change in the southern Rajasthan, India.
International Journal of Water Resources and Arid [Link]
Environments, 39, pp.45-50. m-writes-to-khattar-gadkari/[Link]

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Volume: 7, Issue: 08 Date: 15-11-2018

department allowed the transfer of share in

Video Link: How Real Estate Greed common land to the stakeholders.17 Thus, the
Threatens Aravallis ([Link])
land was apportioned among landowners and

Video Description: The video gives a sold off at a low price, creating scope for
brief history and status of the Aravallis and mentions the resale of the land to make profits. According
threat to Aravallis and its forests, in the form of mining
and real estate. It focuses on the loss of Aravalli forests in to environmentalists, this forms the basis of
Haryana and the lack of any legal protection to the the privatization of Aravallis in Haryana,
forests. It also mentions the threat to Mangar Bani
especially around Delhi where the real estate
forests of Aravallis.
interest continues to be high.
To watch, please follow the link:
[Link] Another issue is regarding the definition of
greed-threatens-to-wipe-out-the-ancient-forests-of-the-
northern-aravallis forest. In T.N. GODAVARMAN THIRUMULPAD
VERSUS UNION OF INDIA AND ORS18(1996
Judgment), the apex court laid down that the
provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act

Policy Lapses in Haryana 1980, shall apply to all thickly wooded areas.
However, the state of Haryana has failed to
In the case of Haryana, several other issues
record or notify major parts of the Aravalli
also remain. One of these is of ownership and
forests. The state has also failed to officially
the process of privatization of land in the
notify around 60,000 acres of the Aravallis as
Haryana Aravallis.
the Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) as per
In the 1970s, when changes were made to the the Regional Plan 2021 of the National Capital
common land ownership norms, instead of Regional Planning Board, formulated in 2005.
transferring the common land to the forest The NCZ status allows construction only in 0.5
department, the state government, vested it per cent of the area and its purpose as
with the village panchayats as per the Punjab 17

Village Common Lands Act (applicable to [Link]

-haryana-has-failed-the-
Haryana). Later during 1970s-80s, revenue aravalis/articleshow/[Link]
18
Writ petition(civil) 202/1995

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specified should be “regional recreational cover and degradation of the hills,

activities”.19 have emerged and expanded at faster
rate. This may lead to frequent dust
Thus without any legal protection, the forests
and sand storms in states like UP,
of Aravallis continue to be exploited by the
Punjab, Delhi and may worsen the
real estate lobby and threatened by
pollution levels in Delhi.22 Further,
deforestation.
long-continued mining in this region of
The ineffective implementation of the
India has led to irreparable damage to
policies, lack of political will and rising
the natural environment of this region
urbanization have given a serious blow to the
and has created a huge amount of air
Aravallis ecosystem. The various adverse
and water-polluting industrial waste23.
impacts of this have been highlighted in the
next section.

Video Link: Why is

IMPACTS:
Delhi and North India
engulfed in dust?
1. INCREASE IN STORMS AND
(Down To Earth)
POLLUTION: A study20 as reported in a
WII report21 identified that 12 gaps Video Description: The video explains the phenomenon of
increasing dust storms in and around Delhi and proposes to
that exist in between the range, due save the Aravalli Forests to act as barrier to prevent the
to the absence of adequate forest storms.

For complete video, please follow:

19
[Link]
[Link]
range-hills-mangar-bani-this-is-whats-left-of-a-forest-
ecosystem-environment-wildlife-human-habitation-
4901951/
20 22
Rathore, N.S., 2009. The study of the environment
and its impact in the Aravalli Mountain Range in the [Link]
study of the changing environment and its impact in behind-intense-dust-storms-in-north-west-india-lies-
the Aravalli Mountain Range in the western Region of withered-aravallis-60873
23
India. Udaipur, Rajasthan.
21
Mapping Land use/ Land cover Patterns in Aravallis [Link]
Haryana with Reference to Status of Key Wildlife CTS_OF_MINING_IN_THE_ARAVALLIS_AND_THE_CREA
Species, May 2017 TION_OF_INDUSTRIAL_WASTE

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2. CHANGES IN RAINFALL PATTERN: further uses data from Irrigation

According to a study24, the alarming department, Government of Rajasthan
deforestation and the removal of soil to find that the duration of rainy
cover from most of the hill slopes have season has shrunk from 101 days in
caused micro-climatic changes, 1973 to only 46 days in 2010. The
particularly in the nature of rainfall. It following graph shows the declining
trend.

Duration of Rainy Season

3.
120
100
80
60
Duration of Rainy Season
40 (in days)
20
0
2005
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003

2007
2009

Data Source: Rathore, N.S. and Verma, N., 2013. Impact of climate change in the southern Rajasthan, India.

24
Rathore, N.S. and Verma, N., 2013. Impact of climate
change in the southern Rajasthan, India. International
Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments,
39, pp.45-50.

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RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH: Due to 4. DRYING UP OF THE LAKES: Another

crushing and mining of stones, the serious ecological impact of mining
level of particulate matter increases. includes digging or mining to a great
High level of particulate matter is depth causing puncturing of aquifers,
attributed to increase in respiratory thus disturbing the water flow
diseases such as chronic bronchitis regimes. Mining activities disturbed
and asthma cases.25 Apart from this, the catchment area of the natural
the data of silicosis cases as seen cited drainage system27. Lakes like the
In the CAG report26 is another point in Soorajkund lake are drying eventually.
case. Silicosis is an incurable lung
disorder caused due to inhalation and
results in slow and painful death. The
“Digging to that depth always impacts
number of cases and death due to surrounding areas. It interferes with
Silicosis in the five districts of Alwar, the flow of groundwater, which in this
Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota and Udaipur in area flows towards the plains and
mountains.”
the period of January 2015 to
February 2017 is mentioned in the -Manu Bhatnagar, Indian National
Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
table below.
(INTACH).

Source: CAG Report No. 5 (2017), Government of Rajasthan

25
Monio M. and Iglesias D.A. (2004): Plants and the
27
environment, ESPERE Climate Encyclopaedia, pp 05-12. Nathalia, Deepa & Suresh, Arjun & Singh, Neha.
26
Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of (2018). Monitoring land use/cover changes during the
India on Economic Sector, 2017 (Government of mining activities in Aravalli Hill Region.
Rajasthan, Report No. 5 of the year 2017) 10.13140/RG.2.2.28840.67849.

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5. POPPING UP OF NEW LAKES: indigenous plant species have

The Bharadwaj lake in Faridabad is an disappeared.29
example. Apparently named after the
7. LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: There are
contractor who was allotted the
almost 20 different wildlife
mining contract in that area for red
sanctuaries in the Aravali hills range
badarpur sand (red silica), the lake
such as Ranthambhore, Sariska,
points towards a possibility of illegal
Jamwa Ramgarh, Sawai Mansingh30
mining when the Faridabad mining
and so on. Besides mining destroying
department records claim that no one
the homes of the various wildlife,
named Bharadwaj was allotted a
highways passing through the wildlife
mining lease in that area. There are a
habitats have adversely affected the
number of such water bodies that
fauna in these forests. Fast moving
have filled the depressions left by
vehicles kill these animals when they
mine contractors.28 They are a sign of
are move across these road stretches.
interference with the natural
The Gurgaon Faridabad expressway is
ecosystem and puncturing of aquifers
one such road in Aravallis.31
and the land left ravaged after being
dug to a great depth.

6. DEGRADATION OF LAND AND

DEFORESTATION: The forests of
Aravallis range are now the most
degraded forests in India, most of the
29
Mapping Land use/ Land cover Patterns in Aravallis
Haryana with Reference to Status of Key Wildlife
Species, May 2017
30
Dutta, Aakriti & Grover, Ankita & Bhardawaj, Avdesh.
(2014). An Assessment of Effects of Mining in the
Aravali Range, India. Nature and Environment. 19. 63-
66.
31
Mapping Land use/ Land cover Patterns in Aravallis
28
[Link] Haryana with Reference to Status of Key Wildlife
effect-aravalli-gets-new-lakes-41145 Species, May 2017

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CHANGES IN LAND USE PATTERN: THE CASE OF FARIDABAD

A study using remote sensing data was conducted to correlate land use changes and mining activities with surface water
bodies in Faridabad district of Haryana and observe the changes over the 35 year period, 1970-2006. Faridabad is not only
affected by rapid urban growth but also by changes in natural topography by sand mining.

The study concludes that major changes were observed mostly in areas formerly occupied by vegetation, agriculture, and
forest, which were converted into residential use. These developments can be observed along the foot hills NW corner of
the study area as shown in the above Fig. with urban sprawl towards East & South of Faridabad. This showed that
between 1970 and 2006, urban area increased to 310.8%. Mining area both legal and illegal increased to 587.9%. Many
water bodies are not present now e.g. Surajkund Lake. A decrease of 39.9% in water bodies has been observed. Thus,
surface water which is the important source for the mankind is depleting in the region. Mining causes damage to the
vegetation and surface water etc. The excessive withdrawal of water due to mining activity resulted in shortage of surface
water. It is further noticed that agricultural area reduced by 40.6% whereas there was rise in rural area by 444% compared
to 1970s which is attributed to settlement of population from erstwhile village land. Surprisingly the open area has
increased by 70.6%. This increase in open area may be on account of no construction zone /parks gardens or cleaning of
forest area/ vegetation/agriculture etc.

Source: Wadhawan, M., & Ahmad, S. (2010). Changes in Land use Pattern due to Mining in Faridabad (Haryana). 11th ESRI
India User Conference.

Link: [Link]/~/media/esri-india/files/pdfs/events/uc2010/papers/Manish%[Link]

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CONCLUSION At a time when India is already facing acute

environmental crisis in the form of climate
The Aravallis is a unique ecosystem and is one
change, lowering of groundwater table,
of the oldest mountain ranges. Its significance
increasing pollution of the air and water,
cannot be seen only in terms of the economic
drying up of lakes and other water bodies,
gains from the minerals and the natural
loss of biodiversity and mass extinction of
resources and their mining, but also in terms
species and so on; it would be disastrous to
of the ecological services that the hills have
invite further environmental catastrophe by
been providing for centuries. As a barrier
exploiting the Aravallis and its ecosystem.
against the spread of desert and the lush
green forests regulating winds and sustaining However, it would also be wrong to say that

a rich wildlife biodiversity, the Aravallis have nothing has been done. The Supreme Court

played an important role in shaping the judgments and orders in cases like MC. Mehta

geography of India. vs Union of India and Ors32, TN Godavarman

Thirumulpad vs Union of India and Ors33, the
Today as the hills face several challenges in
EIA notification of 2006 and several other
the form of encroachment, mining and
steps have been taken to conserve the
deforestation; it consequences on the rainfall,
Aravallis ecosystem. But these have not been
soil fertility, health of environment etc would
adequately implemented and followed. The
be disastrous.
Haryana government’s failure to notify the
In fact the change in rainfall patterns, Aravalli forests of the entire range, the
decrease in water resources in Faridabad Rajasthan government’s failure to check
district and the increasing level of air illegal mining have taken a heavy toll on the
pollution in Delhi NCR have been well linked environment of the hills and the area
to the denudation of the Aravallis as surrounding it.
mentioned in this article.

32
Writ petition (civl), case 4677/ 1985
33
Writ petition (civl), case 202/ 1995

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Therefore, any first step towards conservation While legally permitted and sustainable
of Aravallis would logically come from mining and quarrying is suggested by some,
implementing the Court orders and legal when it comes to ecologically sensitive areas
framework in place and conducting effective like the Aravallis, there must be a complete
EIA before providing clearances. ban on mining and developmental activities in
and within a specified range.
Further, the ecosystem of the Aravallis has
already been destroyed to a great extent.

Jasleen Kaur Connect with RGICS at: info@[Link]; [Link]

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