Revised definition of Aravallis will hurt its ecology, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court's recent judgment on the Aravalli Hills definition has sparked debate due to its reliance on a 100-meter local relief rule.
• The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had cautioned against this rule, favoring the Forest Survey of India’s (FSI) slope-based approach.
• Critics argue the 100-meter threshold could open lower hills to mining, impacting the range’s ecological integrity.
• The judgment is based on district-wise average elevation, which is considered a flawed approach given the Aravallis' heterogeneous landscape.

Detailed Insights:

• The Aravallis are a continuous living landscape that regulates climate, facilitates groundwater recharge, and supports biodiversity in an arid region.
• The CEC clarified that it neither examined nor approved the ministry’s report, raising concerns about the decision-making process.
• Using district-wise average elevation to define the Aravallis is problematic because a few tall peaks can inflate the average, leaving lower hills unprotected.
• The judgment's focus on an "operational" definition for mining raises concerns that landscapes outside legal recognition may slip from the precautionary framework.
• Protecting only prominent peaks while ignoring low hills, foothills, and aquifers can lead to ecological amputation, impacting groundwater recharge and wildlife habitat.
• The ruling risks diluting the Supreme Court's role as the guardian of India’s environmental legacy, potentially leading to irreversible fragmentation of the Aravallis.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Precautionary Principle: A strategy to cope with possible dangers where scientific understanding is yet incomplete.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): A process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development.
• Ecological Coherence: The degree to which an ecosystem is connected, functional, and resilient.