Aravalli case: 'New Supreme Court order poses threat to nearly 100 villages in Mewat', RTI forum submits memorandum.

The future of 40 villages in NITI Aayog's most backward district, Nuh, and over 60 villages in Rajasthan is in jeopardy following the Supreme Court's decision regarding the Aravalli hills. Approximately 60 villages in the Tijara, Khairthal, Kishangarh Bas, Alwar, Jurhera, Nagar, Pahari, Gopalgarh, and Kaman areas bordering Nuh will also be affected by the ruling. Around 100 villages across six districts in the Mewat region of Rajasthan and Haryana face an uncertain future.

The recent Supreme Court decision allowing mining in Aravalli hills less than 100 meters high, has caused deep concern and discontent throughout the Mewat region. Only two peaks in Haryana are above 100 meters: one in Tosham, Bhiwani district, and the other in Madhopura, Mahendragarh district. The rest of the area may now be outside the protected zone. The Mewat RTI Forum has taken a strong stance on this issue, sending memorandums to the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, Governor, High Court, and Supreme Court through the Naib Tehsildar of Nagina. The memorandum demands a review of the decision and highlights the environmental, social, and historical importance of the Aravalli hills.

Subodh Kumar Jain, president of the Mewat RTI Forum, stated that 13 villages in the Nagina sub-tehsil, including Santhawadi, Nangal Mubarakpur, Jhimrawat, Bara, Bajidpur, Dhadoli Kalan, Dhadoli Khurd, and Khanpur Ghati, have Aravalli hills less than 100 meters high. Similarly, villages in Firozpur Jhirka tehsil, such as Ghata Shamshabad, Basai Mew, and Baded, as well as several villages in Punhana, Nuh, Tauru, and the Indri sub-tehsil, are also affected by this decision. He expressed concern that if mining begins in these areas after they are removed from the protected zone, not only will the existence of the villages be threatened, but historical temples, mosques, dargahs, and forts will also be on the verge of destruction. Social activist Sabila Jang appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, stating that the Aravalli range is not just a series of hills, but a natural protective shield for all of North India. Weakening it would be an injustice to future generations. She explained that the Aravalli mountain range stretches for approximately 800 kilometers from Gujarat to Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. It prevents dust from the Thar Desert from reaching Delhi-NCR and plays a crucial role in groundwater recharge and temperature regulation. The decision has given state governments and local administrations more power to determine the nature of the land, increasing the risk of misuse.

Meanwhile, Naseem, Vice President of the Mewat RTI Forum and Sarpanch of Santhawadi, said that this decision will weaken Aravalli conservation and its consequences will be far-reaching. The weakening of the Aravalli range will lead to a further drop in groundwater levels, increased heat, and more severe pollution. This is why the people of Mewat consider this decision not just a legal matter, but a question of their very existence. Environmentalists and social organizations across the state are expressing anger against the Supreme Court's recent decision regarding the conservation of the Aravalli mountain range. On November 20, 2025, the Supreme Court accepted the recommendations of a committee led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) regarding the definition of the Aravalli mountain range. According to the new definition, only land with an elevation of 100 meters or more above the local topography will be considered part of the Aravalli hills.

Calling this decision detrimental to Aravalli conservation, Mission Seva Charitable Trust, a social organization active in the field of environmental protection, has demanded that the central government seriously reconsider the matter. In this regard, the Trust will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on December 22, 2025, in the afternoon. Akhtar Alvi, President of Mission Seva Charitable Trust, stated that the new definition approved by the Supreme Court is contrary to the original objective of Aravalli conservation. He said that this decision has removed approximately 90 percent of the Aravalli region from legal protection, which is extremely worrying. This decision also weakens the protection provided by the 1992 Aravalli notification and the NCR Plan 2021.

Shaheen Shams, an active Congress leader from the Sohna-Tauru assembly constituency, has strongly objected to the government's response filed in the Supreme Court regarding the Aravalli mountain range. She stated that this is not merely a legal or technical matter, but a serious environmental crisis affecting the future of generations in North India. Shaheen Shams said that the Aravalli range is not just a collection of rocks and hills, but the lifeline of North India. This mountain range prevents sand, hot winds, and dust storms from the Thar Desert from reaching Delhi, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and the fertile regions of Rajasthan.

Furthermore, the Aravalli range plays a crucial role in groundwater recharge, wildlife conservation, and providing clean air. She alleged that the BJP government is working on a policy to weaken the Aravalli range instead of protecting it. Limiting the definition of the Aravalli range to only hills with an altitude of 100 meters or more is a dangerous step. This would exclude 80 to 90 percent of the Aravalli hills from protection, giving a free hand to mining and construction activities. She said that the Congress party and all its organizations will fight for the protection of the Aravalli range, from the streets to Parliament. She demanded that the BJP government immediately withdraw this anti-people and anti-environment policy and provide complete protection to the Aravalli range based on its true environmental significance.