The Congress on Wednesday (December 24, 2025) accused the government of misleading the public on the issue of Aravallis and asked why it was pushing through a "fatally flawed redefinition" of the hills.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the redefinition of the Aravallis that the government is adopting was opposed by the Forest Survey, the Central empowered committee of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court's amicus curiae.
How is the Aravalli range to be protected? | Explained
Under the new definition, an "Aravalli Hill" is a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above its local surrounding terrain and an "Aravalli Range" is a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.
Critics argue that many ecologically important parts of the Aravalli system do not meet the 100-metre threshold (e.g., low ridges, slopes, foothills and recharge areas), yet are important for groundwater recharge, biodiversity support, climate moderation and soil stability.
