General Syudies 1 : Geography , GS-3 Environment
Aravalli Range: Location, Map, significance & Key Facts
Table of Contents
Aravalli Range
One of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world and the oldest in India is the Aravalli Range. It is an important geographical barrier that stretches around 690 km from Gujarat via Rajasthan and Haryana to Delhi.
History
Origin: During the Pre-Cambrian/Proterozoic Era.
Type: Residual Ancient Fold Mountains.
Composition: Made composed of rocks including quartzite, gneiss, and schist from the Aravalli and Delhi Supergroups.
Important Geographical Features:
The highest peak is Guru Shikhar (1,722 meters) in Rajasthan’s Mount Abu.
Major Rivers: They serve as a water barrier. Luni and Sabarmati rivers go towards the Arabian Sea, whereas Banas and Sahibi rivers drain towards the Yamuna.
Passes: Desuri, Dewair, and Pipli Ghat are significant passes.
Ecological Importance:
Desertification Barrier: It stops the Thar Desert from spreading eastward into the Indo-Gangetic plains.
Mention the Aravalli Green Wall Project, which aims to prevent land deterioration by building a green barrier surrounding the range between 2023 and 2025.
- The Aravalli Range (or Aravali Hills) is a mountain range located in Northern-Western India. It is one of the oldest fold mountains in the world.
- It runs approximately 670 km in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat.
- The Aravalli acts as the edge which separates the Thar desert from the plains and plateaus of eastern Rajasthan.
- The range effectively bisects Rajasthan into two parts: a southeastern region and a northwestern region, which is largely covered by sand dunes.
- The range contains a series of ridges and peaks, which have widths between 6 miles and 60 miles, and elevations that vary between 1,000 and 3,000 feet.
- The highest point of the Aravalli range is Guru Shikhar, which stands at an elevation of 5,650 feet on Mount Arbuda.
- It is 15 km from Mount Abu, which is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range.
“Save Aravalli campaign” floods X: Why has the Supreme Court’s decision on the Aravallis mountain range raised concerns, and why do experts refer to it as a “death warrant”? Described
After the Supreme Court approved the environment ministry’s criterion in its verdict on November 20, the Aravalli Hills, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, have been trending on social media for the past few days.
Only hills reaching at least 100 meters above the local relief, or groups of such hills within 500 meters of one another, will henceforth be regarded as belonging to the Aravalli range, according to the Center’s definition.
Environmental activists and academics have expressed alarm about the highest court’s ruling, warning that large portions of the ecologically significant Aravallis may no longer be protected, which might expose numerous areas, including Delhi, to harsher weather and drought conditions.
The Aravalli mountain range, which is around 700 km long, has long acted as a natural barrier to keep sand and dust out of the Thar Desert. Additionally, it supports rich biodiversity and groundwater recharge for several states, including the Delhi-NCR area.
Experts and activists campaigning for the protection of the Aravallis have filled social media with the hashtag “SaveAravalli” after the Supreme Court adopted a new government definition that only hills taller than 100 meters will count.
According to the revised definition, a “Aravali Range” is a group of two or more such hills within 500 meters of one another, and a “Aravali Hill” is any landform in designated Aravali regions having an elevation of 100 meters or more above its local relief.
Regarding the Aravalli mountain range, what did the SC say?
A bench consisting of Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, chaired by former Chief Justice BR Gavai, endorsed the recommendations of a committee headed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in its ruling on November 20. The Aravalli mountain range may only be defined as features that rise more than 100 meters above their surroundings, according to the supreme court’s decision.