New Delhi: There is a political turmoil from Delhi to Rajasthan regarding the Aravali Hills of Rajasthan. Aravali, one of the most ancient mountain ranges of India, is standing on the brink of an unprecedented environmental crisis. The politics of Rajasthan has heated up as soon as the Supreme Court’s new interpretation of considering structures less than 100 meters high as Aravalli has come to light. Various types of discussions have also started regarding the environment.
Experts are warning that if this definition is implemented, 90 percent of Aravali will be out of protection and its consequences will be disastrous. On the other hand, in Rajasthan, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati have intensified the campaign on this issue. Raising this issue at the national level, Bhati has opened a new front to save Aravali by writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Bhati has alleged in the letter that this order is like a red carpet for the mining mafia. If Aravali is destroyed, the entire north-west India will face environmental disaster. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also given open support to this campaign and is trying to make it a mass movement through social media. What is the issue? Definition of 100 meter and its danger.
In fact, the Supreme Court had accepted the recommendation of the Center and said that only that hill which is 100 meters higher than the surrounding surface will be called Aravalli and if there are two or more such hills within a radius of 500 meters, then it will be considered as Aravalli range. Experts believe that the new definition of Aravali that has emerged is completely different from its actual geographical structure.
There are a total of 12,081 Aravali hills in Rajasthan. Of these, only 1,048 are above 100 meters in height. This means that about 90 percent of the hills of the state will be outside the prescribed limits. Protests have started in the state regarding this.
Environmental experts believe that this is not just a legal definition, it is a step towards eliminating the ranges. People say that the new order will legitimize illegal mining, real estate, hotel, farmhouse projects will increase and desert development will also accelerate, which will have a direct impact on monsoon activities. Due to which many types of crises can arise. At the local level, there may be a water crisis in many areas.
Aravali is also called the lifeline of Rajasthan. It is about 692 kilometers long and 80 percent of it passes through 15 districts of Rajasthan. Due to Aravali in Rajasthan, temperature control, determination of monsoon direction, condition and direction can also change. At the same time, there can be a problem due to dust storms because due to Aravali, its effect is less in flat areas.