Akhilesh Yadav urges protection of Aravalli hills after SC accepts Centre’s definition

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday called for the protection of the Aravalli hills, following the Supreme Court’s decision on November 20 to accept the Centre’s definition of the Aravalli range.

As per the definition approved by the apex court, hills in the Aravalli range with an elevation of less than 100 metres will not be subject to restrictions on mining , a move that has drawn criticism from several political leaders and environmental activists.

In a post on social media platform X, Yadav said the preservation of the Aravalli range is directly linked to the future of the Delhi–NCR region, describing it as a natural shield that protects the national capital from environmental degradation. He said the hills play a crucial role in reducing air pollution, regulating temperatures, supporting rainfall and water conservation, and sustaining biodiversity, wetlands, and bird life.

“If Aravalli survives, Delhi will remain lush and green. Saving the Aravalli is not an option but a resolve. Only if the Aravalli is saved will the NCR be saved,” Yadav wrote, warning that continued ecological damage would worsen Delhi’s smog crisis and threaten its livability.

The SP chief also cautioned that rising pollution levels could impact Delhi’s economic standing, potentially eroding its position as North India’s largest market and commercial hub. He appealed to citizens to join the “Save Aravalli” campaign.

Earlier, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the revised definition, calling it a “death warrant” for the Aravalli hills. In an article shared by the Congress on X, she said nearly 90 per cent of the range falls below the 100-metre height threshold, which could open the door to large-scale mining.

She also flagged deforestation and the eviction of forest-dwelling communities as violations of the spirit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and demanded that the Centre roll back amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022.

On November 20, a Supreme Court bench headed by former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai accepted the definition of the Aravalli hills as submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The court also endorsed recommendations aimed at ensuring sustainable mining in the region and preventing illegal extraction.

The apex court directed the ministry to prepare a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) , which will identify permissible mining areas as well as ecologically sensitive, conservation-critical, and restoration-priority zones where mining will be prohibited or allowed only under exceptional and scientifically justified circumstances. The plan will also include an assessment of cumulative environmental impacts, evaluate the ecological carrying capacity of the region, and outline detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures.