The Aravalli mountain range — the ecological backbone of northern India stretching from Delhi through Haryana, Rajasthan and into Gujarat — faces both historic and ongoing destruction due to mining and administrative neglect. While public attention has focused on mining threats in Haryana and Rajasthan, the long-ignored history of ecological exploitation in Delhi’s Ridge reveals a deep failure of governance and accountability. Mining in and around Delhi was poorly regulated for decades, often illegal, and left entire hills hollowed out with no meaningful assessment or consequences for environmental damage. A striking example is the Rs 2.4 crore in unpaid dues from illegal mining dating back to the early 1980s that remain unrecovered, with no officials held responsible. The legacy of this unacknowledged destruction now fuels selective environmentalism — condemning damage in one region while erasing it in another — weakening the moral credibility of conservation itself. True environmental justice for the Aravallis must begin with transparency, accountability, and an honest reckoning with past harms.
Source: https://thewire.in/environment/the-aravallis-and-why-environmental-justice-requires-an-honest-reckoning
Environmental Justice for the Aravallis Demands an Honest Reckoning, Not Selective Memory
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