Case Study on Aravalli Issue

You are the District Magistrate (DM) of a mining-intensive district in the Aravalli region. A recent Supreme Court ruling has adopted a technical definition: only landforms above 100 metres are considered “protected Aravallis.” This has effectively excluded 90% of the local hills from statutory protection, opening them up for a massive “New City” real estate project and stone crushing units.

The state government is eager to fast-track these projects to boost local employment and state revenue. However, local environmentalists and tribal communities are protesting, claiming the “100-metre rule” ignores the ecological reality that even smaller hillocks act as groundwater recharge zones and barriers against the Thar Desert. Reports suggest that if these hills are mined, the National Capital Region (NCR) will face a severe water crisis and increased desertification within a decade.

Questions:

1.Identify the ethical issues involved in the “redefinition” of natural boundaries.

2.  As the DM, how will you balance the state’s developmental pressure with your duty as a “Trustee” of the environment?

3. Evaluate the relevance of the Precautionary Principle and Intergenerational Justice in this context.