THE ARAVALLI CRISIS: CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES, JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SURVIVAL

ABSTRACT

The Aravalli Range stretches across north-western India,roughly 670 km, standing as one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and is believed to be an essential ecological barrier. Despite its recognised environmental significance, the region has been vulnerable to extensive and often illegal extraction of minerals which is giving rise to deforestation, groundwater depletion, loss of biodiversity, and long-term ecological imbalance.[1] Even though everyone knows how important this region is, the rules meant to protect it get ignored. This article digs into how the law deals with mining in the Aravallis. It looks closely at constitutional rights, environmental laws, and what courts have said over the years. The Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal have stepped in more than once, leaning on ideas like sustainable development and the precautionary principle to try to keep things in check. But, there’s a big issue that is the rules don’t mean much when no one enforces them. Weak enforcement, softening of regulations, and government inaction keep letting damage pile up. By looking at recent laws and policies, this article makes it clear, if we want to save the Aravalli ecosystem, we need tougher enforcement, real accountability, and smarter, more consistent environmental management.

INTRODUCTION 

The Aravalli Range, which spans the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi, acts as natural barrier against desertification and is very important for groundwater recharge, biodiversity preservation, and climate regulation. However, the region’s environment has suffered greatly as a result of the unrestrained extraction of minerals like quartzite, limestone, and marble. 

Deforestation, groundwater depletion, air pollution, and heightened susceptibility to climate change are all consequences of illegal mining in the Aravallis. The enforcement of numerous environmental laws and regulatory bodies has remained inadequate. The matter is a major concern in environmental jurisprudence because it has been brought before Indian courts on numerous occasions. The legal framework governing extraction in the Aravalli Range, judicial interventions, and the difficulties in striking a balance between development are all examined in this article

LEGAL FRAMEWORK GOVERNING EXTRACTION IN THE ARAVALLIS

The extraction operations in the Aravalli mountain range are regulated in accordance with the constitution and the statutory environmental protection rules in India. Article 21 of the Constitution was interpreted by the court as giving the right to a clean and healthy environment and this right is guaranteed by Article 48A which instructs the State to protect the environment and Article 51A(g), which imposes a corresponding duty on citizens.[2]

Mining and extraction activities are primarily governed by the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, which requires licensing and regulatory oversight. Environmental permits expand the barriers even more through the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which gives powers to the Central Government to limit activities in ecologically sensitive zones. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has a significant role in the case of mining activities in forest land as prior central approval is needed. Besides, the EIA Notification, 2006 mandates that mining projects get environmental clearance, thus making it illegal to carry out extraction without approval.

JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JURISPRUDENCE

Indian legal frameworks have recognized the vital ecological importance of the Aravalli Hills. In the Supreme Court judgement, M.C. Mehta V. Union of India (Aravalli Mining Case),[3] the court prevented all mining activities in Aravalli Forest Lands unless carried out with an Environmental Clearance Certificate prior to starting any such works. The court has also reiterated its guiding principle on the precautionary principle; where the environment potentially faces irreparable damage from an action being taken, the protection of the environment should take precedence over the value of the economic benefit that may arise from that action.

In addition, in T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad V. Union Of India,[4] the Supreme Court broadened the definition of “forest” which allowed many mining operations to be subject to more stringent regulations. The National Green Tribunal also has made several decisions about illegal mining operations, and provided an avenue for the restoration of degraded land in the Aravalli area, specifically in the states of Haryana and Rajasthan.

The implications of court decisions would therefore make it illegal to mine from the Aravalli Hills in a manner incompatible with current environmental law.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES

Although there is a well-developed legal framework and the judicial intervention, there is still illegal extraction in the Aravallis. A major limitation is the laxity of implementation at the state level whereby the regulatory bodies usually are not able to check or take action towards infractions. Reduction of safeguards has also been enhanced by the reclassification of land to avoid forest and environmental protection. 

Further the economic reasons surrounding mining have resulted in a lack of compliance taking place several times and the fines that are used to stop the mining operations are not usually hefty enough to make the large-scale mining companies give up. The loophole between the spelling out of judicial will and the administrative implementation is the main cause of further deterioration of the Aravallis.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

The law and policy around mining and environmental protection in the Aravalli Range in the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 moved substantially. In November 2025 the Supreme Court approved a homogenous classification of the Aravalli hills and ranges on criteria of elevation, which was to help demarcate the boundary of the regulations and eliminate illegal mining activities that had remained due to the different definitions of the states. Nevertheless, this definition that focused primarily on landforms at least 100 metres of height above local relief level received a lot of criticism among scientists and environmentalists as potentially excluding ecologically important lower hills and ridges that provide groundwater recharge, biodiversity and climate regulation, thus raising concerns that such places might be accidentally subjected to the pressures of extraction and development. As a result of these environmental and legal issues, the Supreme Court suspended its own order of November, and commissioned the establishment of an expert panel of high power, to review the definition and its effects, with a greater emphasis on strong scientific review before the implementation. In the meantime, the Centre has officially advised the states to include Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat to impose a moratorium on any fresh mining concessions in the Aravallis till a Sustainable Mining Management Plan is drawn up, but allowing the existing mines to continue subject to severe environmental regulations. This has given rise to ongoing civic debate and environmentalism, such as the demand to conduct open impact research, to establish a wider scale of protection, and even to apply to have the range recognized as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as a result of the growing civic interest in the conservation of the Aravalli ecosystem.

SUGGESTIONS AND WAY-FORWARD

The policy responses should be viable, legal, and environmentally knowledgeable in order to protect the Aravalli Range effectively. 

• The Union Government must come up with a statutory Aravalli Protection Framework under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which will have a set of uniform standards to be used by all the interested states and avoid inconsistent interpretation at state levels.[6] 
• Mining rights must be strictly restricted to those regions that will be supported by exhaustive scientific reviews and environmental clearances be offered, after cumulative impact analyses; and not individual project analysis.
• Enforcement of regulation should be better by giving regulatory bodies independence through the system of independent monitoring bodies with well spelt out accountability measures and the ability to take penal measures against non-conformity.
• Penalties provided by MMDR Act are supposed to be reformed in such a way that they are seen as an effective deterrent such as forcing costs of environmental damages and time-limited land restoration requirements.
• Lastly, sustainable development should be strengthened by exposing the local communities to the transparency program, availing environmental information to the public and providing redress of grievances, thus protecting the ecological integrity of the Aravallis.

CONCLUSION

The ongoing destruction of the Aravalli Range demonstrates that there is still a disillusion of the environmental legal framework concerning the environmental protection in India and its practical understanding. Although the ecological importance of the Aravallis has been well established through constitutional requirements, legal protections and regular judicial intervention, the unlicensed and uncontrolled mining remains a factor that discourages the various measures. The judicial statements, especially that of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal have made it clear that environmental conservation has to win over economic interests in the short term. Nonetheless, these legal measures have been curtailed by poor enforcement, watering down of the regulations, and laxity on the part of the administrators. The recent events show a new institutional consciousness of the crisis, but long-term security will be based on the transformation of legal intent into long action. Conservation of the Aravallis is not just an environmental issue but a constitutional requirement which is connected to environmental security and sustainable development. A balanced, responsible and scientifically minded approach is thus necessary to preserve this ancient ecosystem not just to the current generation but also to the future generation.

REFERENCES

1. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Gov’t of India, Climate Change Due to Human Interference in South Aravalli Hill Mountain Areas of India (MoEFCC), https://moef.gov.in/uploads/pdf-uploads/pdf_682f0a92983b08Wall.pdf.
2. Constitution of India, arts. 21, 48A, 51A(g)
3. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, (2004) 12 SCC 118.
4. T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India,(1997) 2 SCC 267.
5. Neelam Ahluwalia & Ghazala Shahabuddin, Uniform Definition of Aravallis Accepted by Supreme Court Will Be Catastrophic for India’s Oldest Mountain Range, Down To Earth ( Dec.2,2025),https://www.downtoearth.org.in/forests/uniform-definition-of-aravallis-accepted-by-supreme-court-will-be-catastrophic-for-indias-oldest-mountain-range.
6.  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.