VERDICT OF A DISAPPEARING SHIELD

Aravalli Hills have shielded Delhi and vicinity from heat, dust and water scarcity. But recent top court order recognising hills above 100 metres triggered protests. Amid much criticism, fate of the Aravallis is tied to survival in the capital, reports Vismay Basu & Aditi Ray Chowdhury

- Vismay Basu & Aditi Ray Chowdhury

As one of the world's oldest geological formations, the Aravalli Hills range fights for its existence after the Supreme Court redefined its peaks. According to the new definition on the recommendations of the federal government, only peaks or parts of the hills that are 100 metres above the ground level are to be treated as Aravalli hills. Protests have erupted across northern India, especially the NCR, Haryana and Rajasthan, with citizens worried about the degrading air quality, the effects of which are widely felt, particularly during the winter months. However, earlier this year, sudden dust storms led to an overnight dip in the city's air quality index (AQI).

While walking across the city during that time, one could feel dust clinging to the skin. Now, dust storms are not a new phenomenon. Delhi has been witnessing them for years, but the frequency of these storms, along with hyper-temperatures and warmer nights, has only been observed largely in the last few years. Posh areas like South Delhi's Chhatarpur too remained no exception to it. However, just a few kilometres away, beyond the luxurious farmhouses and wedding resorts, lie the humongous Aravalli ranges-scarred and blasted after years of mining.

Into the wild

As one crosses that area and drives through the Delhi-Faridabad highway, a pit stop while entering the Mangarbani village shows the mined area on the hills. "However, after a ban by the Supreme Court in 2009, mining was stopped in these locations," said Sunil Hasrana, a local environmental activist who has long been associated with the fight to preserve the Aravallis.