Special Report: Supreme Court's New '100-Meter' Definition Puts 90% of Aravalli Range at Risk

In this Special Report, India Today highlights the existential threat facing the Aravalli range due to a new Supreme Court interpretation regarding the definition of a hill. The report notes that the danger comes 'not by bulldozers, not by dynamite, but by redefining a word.' Under the new '100-meter' height definition, nearly 90% of the Aravallis could lose statutory protection. An internal Forest Survey of India assessment reveals that out of 12,081 mapped hills, only 1,048 meet this threshold. The report warns that this change jeopardizes the region's natural defense against pollution and desertification, as the Aravallis play a critical role in blocking fine pollutants like PM 2.5 and arresting sand-laden winds. The broadcast questions whether the ancient green shield will vanish from the law.