As the legal debate continues over the Aravalli hills, emerging archaeological evidence from the Delhi-Faridabad region offers a powerful reminder of what truly is at stake.
Union minister says builders have eye on Aravallis, & public anxiety is high in Gurugram, Rewari, Nuh and Faridabad over these environmental questions.
Court rulings, inspections and bans have come and gone. In Rajasthan’s Aravallis, villagers say illegal mining continues unchecked and emboldened. They have one hope – Kailash Meena.
R.P. Balwan moved SC seeking changes to its 20 November order that says sustainable mining would cover only ranges above 100m, exposing lower ecologically vital areas to mining.
A “technical” redefinition of terms can become a loophole. Lower hillocks and connecting formations—often ecologically crucial—risk being treated as dispensable.
The Supreme Court has accepted a definition that counts Aravalli hills only if they are 100 metres or above. Citizen groups say this puts much of the range at risk.
Aravalli Hills exhibit ecological fragility & include significant biodiversity, act as green barrier against degradation of land in Indo-Gangetic plains, Haryana & UP, notes court.
Since the bulk of citizens did not regard drinking as a crime, they had no respect for the prohibition laws and did not cooperate with the police, wrote MV Venkata Rao in 1962.
We now live in a world order that will keep shifting. India must use this window. This also means we remain disciplined enough not to be knee-jerked into reacting to what Pakistan sees as its moment in the sun.
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