Aravalli Hills: Green Revival Plan Unveiled

The Centre has announced a detailed roadmap for the ecological restoration and sustainable development of the Aravalli range in the Gurugram region.

This plan involves the revival of native vegetation and a scientific assessment of the region's hydrology, with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) tasked with studying the flora and water systems. The government aims to plant indigenous species on approximately 10,000 acres of forest land within the Aravallis.

Native species like dhak, ber, neem, and various local grasses will be part of the extensive plantation and restoration efforts. The roadmap also proposes constructing a boundary wall along urban-forest fringes to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, particularly leopard intrusions into settlements.

Adhering to Supreme Court directives, the plan respects ongoing legal protections for the Aravallis. The court has frozen new mining leases until a sustainable mining plan is developed, responding to concerns about the protection of ecologically vital ridges.