🗞️ Why in News: Pre-monsoon dust storms swept through Churu and several Rajasthan districts in late May 2026, highlighting a deeper crisis: a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) study found that the Aravalli range — India’s oldest mountain range and a critical ecological barrier — has lost 31 entire hillocks to illegal mining, with 12 widening operational gaps appearing across its length. This degradation is being directly linked to the intensifying dust storms that batter northwest India and the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP).
The Aravallis — India’s Ancient Climate Shield
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | Among the oldest fold mountains on Earth (~1.5–2.5 billion years old — Pre-Cambrian) |
| Extent | ~692 km from Gujarat (Palanpur) through Rajasthan and Haryana to Delhi |
| Highest peak | Guru Shikhar (1,722 m), Rajasthan (in the Abu Hills) |
| States covered | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi |
| Ecological role | Barrier against desert (Thar) encroachment; watershed divide; wind and dust buffer for the IGP |
What the WII Study Found
- 31 entire hillocks have vanished — literally mined out of existence.
- 12 widening gaps across the range, forming openings through which Thar desert dust now penetrates unimpeded toward the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
- The primary cause: decades of illegal mining (stone, marble, lime) that continued despite court orders and official bans.
The Dust Storm Connection
The Aravallis historically interrupted and slowed the north-westerly winds that carry Thar desert dust toward Delhi and the IGP. With gaps in the range:
- Desert aerosols and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) travel further and in higher concentrations into Rajasthan, Haryana, and the NCR.
- Dust storms (as in Churu, May 30, 2026) with wind speeds of 35–40 kmph now escalate into wider weather events.
- The air quality impact falls most heavily on the NCR / Delhi — which already has severe air pollution challenges.
Broader Ecological Value of Aravallis
- Watershed divide — rivers originating on the western flank drain into the Arabian Sea; those on the eastern flank drain into the Yamuna/Ganga system.
- Wildlife corridor — the Aravallis form a critical corridor connecting the Delhi Ridge (protected forest) through Haryana to the Sariska Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan); Leopards and several species depend on this continuity.
- Groundwater recharge — hillocks act as recharge zones for aquifers in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
Legal and Conservation Framework
| Instrument | Status |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court orders | Multiple orders restricting mining in and around Aravallis; the range is partly under SC-monitored moratoriums |
| Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 | Forest land within the Aravallis requires central clearance for diversion |
| Delhi Ridge | Protected forest under Delhi Forest Act; treated as part of the larger Aravalli ecosystem |
| State-level protection | Patchy; Haryana and Rajasthan have been slow to demarcate eco-sensitive zones |
| Gadgil/Kasturirangan analogy | Aravallis need a similar comprehensive ecological mapping and legal protection as the Western Ghats |
Why It Matters for UPSC
- Climate resilience infrastructure — natural barriers like mountain ranges provide ecosystem services (clean air, recharge, dust reduction) worth billions. Their loss is an economic and climate cost, not just an ecological one.
- Urbanisation pressure — Delhi’s expansion has encroached into the Delhi Ridge (Aravalli extension); political economy of illegal mining continues to resist legal protection.
- Policy gap — no dedicated Aravalli Protection Authority exists; enforcement is fragmented across four states.
UPSC Relevance
| Paper | Relevance |
|---|---|
| GS1 | Physical geography — Aravallis (age, location, formation); IGP; desert encroachment; watershed |
| GS3 | Environment — mountain ecosystem services; mining impact; air quality (PM2.5/PM10); NCAP |
| Mains | “The Aravallis are as much a climate-resilience asset as a biodiversity zone. Examine the consequences of their degradation and suggest a protection framework.” |
| Prelims | Aravallis (Pre-Cambrian, ~692 km, Gujarat to Delhi); Guru Shikhar (1,722 m); WII study — 31 hillocks lost, 12 gaps; Sariska TR (Rajasthan) |
Facts Corner
📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia
Aravallis:
- One of the world’s oldest mountain ranges — Pre-Cambrian (~1.5-2.5 billion years)
- Extent: ~692 km, Gujarat to Delhi (via Rajasthan, Haryana)
- Highest peak: Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) in Abu Hills, Rajasthan
- States: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi
- Role: Thar desert barrier; watershed divide; wildife corridor (Sariska ↔ Delhi Ridge)
WII Study (2026):
- 31 hillocks gone to illegal mining
- 12 widening gaps through which desert dust penetrates the IGP
Dust Storms (May 30, 2026): Churu, Rajasthan; 35-40 kmph winds
Legal status:
- Multiple SC orders restricting mining
- No dedicated Aravalli Authority; enforcement fragmented across 4 states
Wildlife value: Corridor linking Delhi Ridge ↔ Haryana ↔ Sariska Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan)
Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express, Wildlife Institute of India
Source: Aravallis Under Threat — India's Ancient Climate Shield Is Weakening — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
