Environmentalists meet in Gurgaon, warn of a ‘June-like’ January if Aravallis fall

“We have to save the Aravallis now, else we are in deep trouble”, she said.

Jyoti Raghavan, former trustee of the organisation, referred to the 2018 proposal to amend the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which could have allowed construction on 33 per cent of the range. She said the group formed a legal entity to address such threats.

 Former trustee of the organisation Jyoti Raghavan

“The new definition will mean the mother of all threats. Even with the abeyance threat still there to the Aravallis, January (weather) feels like June,” Raghavan said.

Raghavan described recent developments surrounding the definition of the Aravalli hills as a major concern, even after the Supreme Court’s stay in December 2025 of its November order, which had limited protection to landforms rising 100 metres or more.

She noted visible environmental changes, including sand along dust in cities and roads due to mining in the Thar region and declining groundwater levels, and called for continued legal and collective efforts.

Sanjay Lal described the issue as a matter of survival, not activism against development. He said the Aravallis function as a climate shield, heat barrier, and natural purifier for air and water, and criticised authorities for overlooking these functions.

Other participants warned of potential desertification without protection and suggested declaring the mountain range a Unesco heritage site. RTI activist Harinder Dhingra stressed the need for persistent efforts to protect the mountain range, while Sunil Harsana, a prominent conservationist and “guardian” of the Mangar Bani sacred grove in the Aravalli Hills, questioned the inconsistency of the government’s statements supporting protection, while threats continue.

The gathering ended with a collective pledge to stop all mining and construction across the Aravalli biosphere until AQI reaches 50. Environmentalist and Aravalli Bachao trustee Vaishali Rana led children in the slogan “Aravalli ki loot, nahi chalegi (We won’t tolerate the Aravallis being looted)”.

The participants signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports from 2017 and 2022 on illegal mining in the Aravalli biosphere in Haryana. The letter highlighted the violations of Supreme Court judgments and the lack of enforcement.

It referenced a sting operation from December 2025 showing alleged illegal operations and bribery attempts to sustain the mining activities. The letter demanded an immediate and absolute ban on mining and construction until restoration to the range’s status from 1925, involving independent experts.

The Supreme Court, in its December 29, 2025, order, stayed its previous judgment on the Aravalli definition and directed the formation of a high-powered expert committee to review the issue, amid concerns that the earlier criteria could reduce protected areas and allow more mining. The court also maintained a freeze on new mining leases pending a sustainable mining plan.