The Aravallis are 3.5 billion years old. At the current rate of loss, they won’t survive another century.
Gurugram’s green cover has fallen by nearly 20% in a decade. Over 1,200 acres of Aravalli forest have been lost to encroachments. In November 2025, the Supreme Court narrowed the legal definition of “Aravalli hills” — removing protection from around 90% of the range.
20%
Decline in Gurugram’s green cover in the last decade (Haryana Forest Department, 2023)
1,200+ acres
Aravalli forest acres lost to encroachments and construction since 2010 (CAG Haryana Report 2022)
75%
Haryana Aravalli forests classified as “degraded” by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG 2022)
The challenge
The region’s last climate buffer — under attack from all sides
The Aravallis are North India’s ecological backbone: they block desert winds from the Thar, recharge Delhi-NCR’s groundwater, regulate monsoon patterns, and host leopards, 200+ bird species, and thousands of native plants. Gurugram’s average summer temperature has already risen 1.5°C in a decade; deforested areas record daytime temperatures up to 7°C hotter than green zones (TERI, 2023). The Supreme Court’s November 2025 ruling — limiting “Aravalli hills” to landforms above 100 metres elevation — effectively strips legal protection from the vast majority of the range, opening it to mining and real estate development.
Green cover loss 2015–2022 (Gwal Pahari, Bandhwari, Sohna corridor)
30% reduction
ISRO-Bhuvan satellite data; these zones are most at risk from continued encroachment and waste dumping
Aravalli Green Wall Project (2025–2027)
25,000 ha to be restored
Haryana to plant 75 lakh trees in Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh, Mahendragarh, and Rewari districts
Aravalli Biodiversity Park, Sector 77
380 acres restored
Mining dump transformed into IUCN-recognised conservation area. 300+ plant species, 200+ bird species. Managed by IAmGurgaon.
Supreme Court ruling, November 2025
~90% unprotected
New 100-metre elevation definition removes legal protection from the vast majority of the Aravalli range
What’s being done · What you can do
Monitoring · Advocating · How you can help
Tracking forest loss
- People for Aravallis geo-tags illegal mining, dumping, and encroachment; reports submitted to NGT and Supreme Court
- Forest Survey of India and ISRO track green cover changes via annual satellite monitoring
- IAmGurgaon monitors Aravalli Biodiversity Park biodiversity: flora, fauna, and water body health
- CAG and CPCB conduct periodic audits of Bandhwari’s environmental impact on the Aravalli belt
Policy & campaign action
- #AravalliBachao — citizen campaign calling for a biosphere reserve across the full 700 km range
- People for Aravallis petitions NGT and Supreme Court against illegal mining and encroachment
- GurgaonFirst calls for strict PLPA enforcement and review of the Nov 2025 Supreme Court ruling
- Aravalli Green Wall Project — 1.1 million ha afforestation target across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi by 2027
Citizen action
- Visit Aravalli Biodiversity Park and volunteer with IAmGurgaon on restoration days — iamgurgaon.org
- Plant native Aravalli species in your home or RWA garden — contact Aranya for plant sourcing
- Sign and share the Aravalli Bachao petition; follow People for Aravallis on social media
- Report encroachment or illegal dumping to HSPCB: 0124-2321166 or the CGWA portal
⚠ What more is needed
The November 2025 Supreme Court ruling is a legal setback of the first order for the Aravallis. It must be challenged, reviewed, and corrected. Gurugram needs a notified Aravalli forest patch network — including all patches below 100 metres — with community forest protection rights under the Forest Rights Act. The Aravalli Green Wall must be independently monitored for plantation survival and protected from the same encroachment pressures that destroyed the original forest cover.
The Aravallis are Gurugram’s future. Defend them.
Join the Aravalli Bachao campaign, visit the Biodiversity Park, and plant native trees in your neighbourhood.