The Haryana government is currently facing challenges in defining the Aravali hills, as directed by the Supreme Court earlier this year. During consultations among various departments, the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) expressed its concern in July that a definition of the Aravalis cannot be established without first mapping the entire hill range within the state. In a letter to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), the DTCP noted that it had previously issued land use licenses and permissions based on the definition of the Aravalis prior to the 1992 notification, which provided green protection to certain areas of the hills.

In a letter dated July 30, Jaideep, the district town planner (NCR), conveyed to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) that the department believes meticulous mapping of the Aravalli hills and ranges, in line with the benchmarks set by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) and adopted by the State of Rajasthan, is essential for assessing the potential impact. The department has previously developed various plans for the region and issued licenses and change of land use (CLU) permissions based on the definition of the Aravalli as outlined in the notification dated 05.07.1992. Therefore, a consensus on the definition cannot be reached without understanding its precise implications.

Another obstacle highlighted by the forest department is the lack of high-resolution imagery of the Aravalis in the state. In a letter dated July 17 to the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) in Haryana, the department acknowledged this problem and recommended seeking assistance from the Survey of India or the Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) to obtain improved quality satellite imagery of the hills.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests mentioned that the GIS cell of the forest department had created coarse contours of the Aravalli districts using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in the meantime. TOI had previously reported on another issue raised by officials regarding the definition of the Aravalis. It was noted that the departments had not yet reached an agreement on Rajasthan's definition, which specifies that only hills with peaks at least 100 meters above ground level are considered part of the Aravalis. Furthermore, mining is prohibited solely on these hills in Rajasthan.

However, the Forest Survey of India (FSI), in its 2019 report to a central government panel, recommended that all hillocks and slopes with inclines of at least 30 degrees above ground level should be included as part of the Aravalis, along with a 100-meter buffer zone and valleys. Establishing a definition is particularly important because the Supreme Court, which was addressing a case regarding illegal mining in the Aravalis in May, directed the governments of Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and Gujarat that they could not renew leases or issue new ones for stone or sand quarrying in the hills without its permission. When amicus curiae K. Parmeshwar informed the Supreme Court that the issue was complicated due to the lack of agreement on what constitutes the Aravalis, the court established a committee to create a uniform definition of the hills within two months.

With Haryana still working on its own definition, achieving consensus on a uniform definition of the Aravalis across the four states-Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat-as well as with the Union environment ministry and other agencies remains far off. The Supreme Court's directive, which was meant to be completed in two months-by August-is particularly significant because Haryana governments have historically sought to reduce environmental protections for the hills by claiming there is no specific definition of the Aravalis. In 2016, the Haryana government informed the NCR Planning Board that no Aravalis were recorded in the state, preventing it from designating any natural conservation zones (NCZ).

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case next on September 15. TOI contacted the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) regarding the issue, and board officials indicated that they are currently reviewing the situation. P. Raghavendra Rao, chairman of HSPCB, stated that an agenda will be prepared for all pending matters, and a meeting will be convened at the level of the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) in the near future.

In conclusion, the ongoing struggle to define the Aravali hills highlights the challenges of regulatory compliance and environmental protection in Haryana. The Supreme Court's upcoming hearing may be pivotal in determining the future of these crucial natural resources amid conflicting interests.