Environmental activists in Hyderabad have issued a strong appeal to the Supreme Court of India, calling for an immediate halt to all mining activities in the ecologically fragile Aravalli range. Their demand follows the court's recent decision to stay its own landmark judgment that provided a protective definition for the hills.
Core Demands: Transparency and an Independent Study
The protest, organized under the 'Save Aravali Campaign' at Dharna Chowk on Sunday, centered on two primary demands. First, the environmentalists insisted that the Supreme Court must ensure any decision-making process regarding the Aravallis is fully transparent and includes the participation of local communities directly impacted by mining and deforestation.
Their second, and crucial, demand is for an independent cumulative environmental and social impact assessment to be conducted across all Aravalli districts. This study, they argue, is essential to accurately gauge the real damage caused by years of exploitation and to fix accountability. They have urged that all forms of mining—both legal and illegal—must be completely stopped until this comprehensive study is completed and its recommendations are implemented.
The Trigger: A Stay on a Protective Judgment
This mobilization was a direct response to the Supreme Court's recent stay on its own November 20 judgment. That earlier ruling had defined the Aravalli hills using a 100-metre height cut-off, a criterion aimed at offering legal protection. The stay order brought the spotlight onto a technical committee formed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF), which had proposed this height-based definition.
Protesters labeled the committee's recommendations as "harmful" to the long-term survival of the Aravallis. They warned that such a narrow definition would leave numerous lower hills, which are ecologically vital, unprotected and open to rampant mining and unchecked construction projects.
Voices from the Frontline: Warnings of Desertification and Degradation
Speaking at the protest, environmentalists painted a grim picture of the consequences of inaction. Bindu Reddy of Climate Front India emphasized the Aravallis' critical role as a natural barrier, stating they protect several northern states from the advancing spread of the Thar Desert. "If they are destroyed, the consequences will be severe," she said, advocating for cautious, consultative decision-making that prioritizes conservation.
Climate activist Ruchith Asha Kamal pointed to the existing damage from unregulated mining, illegal construction, and encroachments. "Real estate projects, waste burning, and forest diversion have turned this ancient ecosystem into a degraded zone," he alleged. He expressed a strong belief that the MoEF committee's report was unduly influenced by mining interests, stressing that conservation, not unchecked development, must guide policy.
Anuradha Reddy, convener of INTACH Hyderabad, highlighted the cascading effects of forest destruction. "As forests disappear, monkeys enter villages, birds are displaced, and leopards come onto roads and get killed," she explained. She reminded authorities that "these natural resources belong to the public, while governments are only temporary custodians," and called it fundamentally wrong to allow urbanization without proper environmental and social impact assessments.
The collective message from Hyderabad is clear: the fate of the Aravallis hangs in the balance, and only a participatory, science-based approach enforced by the highest court can prevent an ecological disaster.
