The Aravalli range in southern Haryana is facing environmental degradation because of rapid urbanisation, declining vegetation cover, loss of water bodies and depletion of soil moisture, according to a study.
The study was conducted by the Sankala Foundation, a non-profit that deals with climate change and sustainability. The findings were compiled in a report titled “Eco-restoration of the Aravalli Landscape”.
The Aravalli range had recently been in the news over protests in Rajasthan and Haryana against the government’s proposal to revise the definition of the hills. The matter is currently in the Supreme Court.
The report, released by environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday, spotlighted the extensive diversion of forestland and the severe threat from deforestation.
“Agriculture land has decreased by 429 hectares, while forest area has shrunk by 114 hectares, indicating sustained pressure on natural vegetation.... Barren land shows a modest increase of 22 hectares whereas built-up area has expanded significantly by 323 hectares, reflecting rapid urbanisation in peri-urban Gurugram,” it said.
The study was conducted in four villages — Gairatpur Bas, Shikohpur, Sakatpur and Naurangpur — in southern Haryana near Gurgaon to create a scalable model to restore ecological balance, enhance biodiversity and promote sustainable livelihoods.
These are the natural habitats of several bird species
and leopards.
According to the study, the area has suffered a 20 per cent loss of water bodies over the past decade, with 7 out of 41 ponds disappearing. The remaining water bodies are largely eutrophic, silted or seasonally functional, it added.
“Natural drainage lines are drying or rerouted due to encroachment, construction and landscape modification, leading to altered run-off
patterns and increased erosion,” the report said, underlining declining groundwater level and growing water
scarcity.
The report also indicated coordination gaps among government agencies and the lack of policy implementation.
The Aravalli range, which acts as a natural barrier for the National Capital Region and the Indo-Gangetic plains, is home to more than 50 million people in 29 districts of Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
To protect this range, the study recommended measures that include climate-resilient agriculture practices, bio-engineered soil stabilisation methods, nature-based solutions, water-saving technologies and community-led conservation.
The Sankala Foundation has recommended a 12-week Aravalli Green Yatra to mobilise stakeholders across the 29 districts for mass engagement and implementation of the Aravalli Green Wall Project, aligning with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The yatra aims to promote mass afforestation, enhance water availability through watershed management, mitigate pollution through clean-up drives, foster eco-friendly livelihoods and preserve cultural heritage.