Haryana land grab: only Aravalli if 100m high and billion years old rock

On 4 October, the Haryana government quietly officially revised the definition of the ‘Aravali Hills’ and ranges, introducing strict criteria based on geological age and elevation. The decision has sparked widespread concern among environmentalists and forestry experts, who warn that this narrow definition could jeopardise protection for vast ecologically sensitive areas at the edges of the Aravalli Ridges.

Under the new rules established by Haryana’s department of geology and mines, only hills that rise at least 100 metres above the surrounding terrain and are composed of rocks at least a billion years old will be classified as ‘Aravalli Hills’.

The move follows expert suggestions, supposedly, having the blessings of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) — which reviewed earlier drafts and pressed for clarity in identifying genuine Aravalli formations. However, Haryana's adoption of a 100m minimum elevation is more restrictive than the GSI’s recommendation — and aligns with a similar standard used in (also BJP-ruled) Rajasthan.

Unlike Rajasthan’s mining-focused standard, however, Haryana’s new criterion is intended to regulate conservation efforts — but critics argue it excludes important habitats that do not meet these height requirements.

Much of Haryana’s notified forest area within what were still seen as the Aravalli ranges (mere days ago) lies in low-elevation zones, where the land undulates, but seldom reaches 100 metres. This is especially true in districts such as Gurgaon, Faridabad and Nuh.

Mountain and the Mafia: How the Aravallis vanished in the NCR Concerning caveat

Experts emphasise that these landscapes contain vital scrub forests and geological ridges (spurs of the higher parts of the Aravallis) and supports biodiversity that recharges the groundwater and serves as wildlife habitats. These factors are crucial in preventing the desertification of the Delhi-NCR region and maintaining the local ecological balance, serving as a natural barrier against the spread of the Thar desert.

M.D. Sinha, former conservator of forests in south Haryana, reportedly said this policy change overlooks the importance of the living landscape — the forests, ridges and wildlife — that depend on this ecosystem for survival, which cannot be evaluated just by the geological age or size of the rocks.

Likewise, R.P. Balwan, retired Haryana forest conservator, reportedly warned that the change goes beyond a technical correction — it represents a significant policy shift that could undo decades of legal protections for the Aravalli and the benighted Delhi Ridge, whose vulnerability and denudation the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of, a matter still in court. Specifically, Balwan cautioned, the new rule might open up previously protected forest land to real estate and infrastructure development.

There is also criticism over the authority behind the change. The mines and geology department has taken sole responsibility for implementing the new definition, which some say is inappropriate for a matter with profound ecological implications, representing potential conflict of interest as well as an overreach of its jurisdiction.

The revised definition impacts the enforcement of the 1992 Aravalli Notification and multiple court rulings that limit construction and mining across these hills. By narrowing the geological and physical criteria, the state risks reducing the protected area considerably, threatening the region’s environmental health.

Geologically, the Aravalli–Delhi fold belt extends from Gujarat to Delhi. The rocks making it up are predominantly quartzites, schists, phyllites, dolomites and marbles. The intrusive granite forms less than 3 per cent of Haryana’s Aravalli terrain — but is an almost literal goldmine for the construction industry.

While the Supreme Court’s last directive in August called on the states sharing the Aravallis to collaborate with the Centre to adopt a uniform definition and provide a concerted solution for its protection, Haryana’s new approach marks a potentially dangerous turning point in how these ancient hills are conserved and managed.

Jairam Ramesh urges govt to cancel Patanjali land deals in the Aravallis