Deliberate attempt to put Aravallis in danger can have grave impact: Pilot

Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Friday raised alarm over the Centre’s redefinition of the Aravalli hills, claiming it would strip legal protection from nearly 90 per cent of the ancient mountain range and expose it to intensified mining and construction.

Addressing a march organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in Jaipur under the banner 'Save Aravalli – Save the Future', Pilot said the changes amounted to a “deliberate attempt” to endanger a fragile ecological system whose destruction could have cascading consequences, including the expansion of the Thar desert up to Delhi.

“People across the country are worried about who is deliberately putting the Aravalli range, which has served as a protective shield for crores of people since ancient times, in danger. If the Aravallis is destroyed, the desert could expand up to Delhi,” he said.

Pilot, who participated in the march along with his son — his first time bringing him to a political protest — underlined the Aravallis’ critical role in checking air pollution, recharging groundwater and maintaining ecological balance across large swathes of north-western India.

The march was halted by police at the Government Hostel intersection, with officials citing prior permission limits and warning of action if demonstrators attempted to proceed further. The protest subsequently dispersed at that point.

Citing data from the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Pilot argued that the new definition approved by the Centre would dramatically shrink the area eligible for protection. Last month, the Supreme Court of India accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and barred the grant of fresh mining leases in the region — spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat — until expert committees submit their reports.

Under the revised framework, an 'Aravalli Hill' is defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of at least 100 metres above local relief, while an 'Aravalli Range' refers to a cluster of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of one another.

Explaining why this threshold was problematic, Pilot said, “According to FSI data, there are 1.18 lakh hills in the Aravalli range below 100 metres, while only 1,048 hills are above 100 metres. This means nearly 90 per cent of the Aravalli area would go outside the definition and become unprotected.”

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister dismissed the government’s assurances that no activity would be permitted without official clearance, calling them misleading. Similar restrictions, he pointed out, have existed for nearly two decades.

“Despite these bans, illegal mining has been taking place right under the government's nose and continues even today. What steps is the government taking to stop it?” he asked.

Reiterating the environmental stakes, Pilot warned that the degradation of the Aravallis could accelerate desertification in Rajasthan with wider regional consequences. “Whether it is air pollution, groundwater, ecology or biodiversity, the Aravalli acts as a security shield,” he said.

Questioning the political will behind the new definition, he added, “I feel the government is either helpless, under pressure, or there is a lack of intent.”

Pilot also criticised the Centre for issuing repeated clarifications without pursuing a legal remedy. “Despite repeated clarifications, the government has not yet approached the Supreme Court to re-present and resolve the definition issue,” he said.

Broadening his attack, he accused BJP governments at the Centre and in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi of acting in ways that imperil the mountain range. “All these governments seem to be racing to see how the Aravalli range can be destroyed,” he said.

With PTI inputs