Haryana Redefines 'Forest' to Exclude Aravalli Forests

On August 18, 2025, the Haryana government issued a notification defining the "dictionary meaning" of forests with restrictive technical criteria. This comes 18 months after the Supreme Court ordered states to identify forests using a broad, common-sense interpretation of the term.

The new definition requires forest areas to have a minimum canopy density of 40% and cover at least five hectares if isolated, or two hectares if connected to government-notified forests. It also explicitly excludes "all linear, compact, agro-forestry plantations and orchards situated outside the government notified forests."

Environmental activists argue that this definition could exclude most of Haryana's remaining Aravalli forests from legal protection. They say the 40% canopy density requirement is unreasonably high for the region's dry, rocky terrain, where the vegetation has naturally adapted to scrub and open forest cover.

The Supreme Court had previously ruled in February 2024 that states must use the broad "dictionary meaning" of forests to determine if any work can be approved on land. Dictionaries typically describe forests as "large areas of land thickly covered with trees."

Haryana's move to redefine forests is seen as a direct challenge to the court's order. A retired forest official called the state's approach "illegal, mischievous and malicious," arguing that it aims to "eliminate most forests from protection" and "help contractors, miners and other destructive forces."

The expert emphasized the urgent need for proper forest protection, especially in the face of climate change and extreme weather events. Haryana itself has been impacted by floods and heavy rainfall, and the expert argued that conserving forests and ecologically vital areas is the only way to mitigate such impacts.