Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday (December 26, 2025) warned that the Centre’s redefinition of the Aravalli hills could strip away protection from nearly 90% of the range, posing grave ecological risks, including expansion of the Thar Desert up to Delhi.
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Mr. Pilot joined the National Students’ Union of India’s (NSUI) ‘Save Aravalli – Save the Future’ march in Jaipur, accompanied by his son who made his first appearance on a political stage. The Aravallis, Mr. Pilot stressed, act as a natural shield against air pollution, preserve groundwater, and sustain biodiversity. “If the Aravallis are destroyed, the desert could reach Delhi,” he cautioned.
Police stopped the march at the Government Hostel intersection in Jaipur citing permission limits, after which the protest concluded peacefully.
Citing Forest Survey of India (FSI) data, Mr. Pilot said the Centre’s definition would exclude most of the range. “There are 1.18 lakh hills below 100 metres and only 1,048 above 100 metres. This means nearly 90% of the Aravalli area would go outside the definition and become unprotected,” he explained.
