Gurgaon: The high-powered committee (HPC) tasked with defining Aravalis has informed Supreme Court that its complex landscape cannot be captured through a single terrain or height-based criterion and sought six more months till Feb 27 to complete the exercise.HPC was formed by Supreme Court after an environment ministry panel’s definition, which recognised as Aravalis only hills that had an elevation of 100 metres or more and was adopted by the court last Nov, drew widespread protests, particularly in Rajasthan. The court stayed its judgement in Dec and subsequently set up the HPC in May this year.In its compliance report submitted to SC, HPC said geospatial analysis, field validation, expert examination and stakeholder consultations are needed before it can submit its final recommendations. Defining the ancient, and in parts severely degraded, ranges that run between Gujarat and Delhi isn’t an easy task because the Aravalis lack uniformity. At the same time, any restrictive definition could leave ecologically connected hills, forests, aquifers and other important landscapes outside the protection framework, affecting the ecology of the northern plains and making Delhi-NCR more vulnerable to dust storms.HPC, which is led by 1991-batch IFS officer and director-general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Kanchan Devi, was originally asked to submit its report by Aug 31.“The work undertaken so far has evidenced the breadth, scientific complexity and wider implications of the issues requiring examination,” HPC said in its report. It added that the questions before it “cannot appropriately be addressed through a single terrain-based criterion or a single source of evidence”.The panel said it was, therefore, bringing together spatial, ecological, geological, hydrological, socio-economic and stakeholder evidence. The panel is considering an Aravali Ecosystem Landscape framework under which the range would be assessed as more than a collection of hills and ridges.The approach will consider geological and geomorphological features, terrain, watersheds, hydrological systems, forests, biodiversity and ecological connectivity. It will also include recorded forests, protected areas, wetlands, critical catchments, groundwater recharge areas, sacred sites, traditional pastures and areas of archaeological significance.The committee said the Aravalis need to be understood “through multiple interrelated dimensions”.Its field assessment from Aug 6-11 reinforced this approach, with the panel saying it found Aravalis to be, in large parts, “a connected landscape with interlinked ecological, hydrological, biodiversity and socio-cultural values”.HPC is also examining the impact of mining, stone quarrying, stone crushing and unregulated sand mining on drainage systems, topography, water systems and biodiversity. It has so far received 680 representations from farmers, local communities, mining sector stakeholders, residents, civil society groups and govt bodies.Former forest conservator of south Haryana RP Balwan, who had moved Supreme Court against the ministry panel’s 100m definition, said the geological origin of the range makes a height or gap-based definition problematic.“The Aravali range was formed by tectonic compression during ancient plate collisions. The gaps and height of the range are immaterial. For example, the Himalayas are one irrespective of the political boundary. Aravalis should be considered as one ecosystem,” he said.
