Recommending strategies for conserving ecosystem functions of the Aravalli range

Abstract

The Aravalli hills stretch from Gujarat through Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi covering about 692 Km. These are one of the oldest, most distinctive and ancient mountain chains of peninsular India. More than 60% of it falls in Rajasthan state and influences ecological equilibrium in about 30%of the state. The Aravalli range is not a continuous range, there are physical gaps at different places. Because of natural and human-induced activities, these gaps are increasing, new gaps are coming up, and its physical structure is changing. Illegal mining is spreading all over the Aravalli region, which is an immense threat for its ecosystem. Degradation in the Aravalli is also affecting the land surrounding it. Ecosystem functions which are provided by the Aravalli are severely affected. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) and Survey of India (SOI) defines the Aravalli in their own ways, there is no similarity in it. There are no strict regulations to protect and monitor it and no comprehensive research and study done to suggest for the enhancement of ecosystem functions of the Aravalli range. There are various notifications, judgements of courts and programmes related to the Aravalli but all of them have failed to control the degradation. If degradation will continue at the same pace, then time is not far when they will become a thing of the past. Through this study, various factors leading to Aravalli’s degradation are identified and it’s impacts on selected areas is analysed. From all the emerging issues and available literature on the Aravalli, the study aims at “proposing strategies for conserving ecosystem functions of the Aravalli range”. To achieve this aim, the objectives formulated are; studying ecosystem functions of the Aravalli range, and identifying factors responsible for the changes in it that are causing land degradation in Rajasthan-analysing impacts of identified factors which are causing land degradation in selected part of the Aravalli range- exploring and recommending strategies to conserve the ecosystem function of the Aravalli range. A literature study is done to identify factors responsible for the degradation. To understand the severity of the problem at the lowest level, two tehsils from different districts in Rajasthan state, which are most affected due to illegal mining and increasing physical gaps are selected for the study. Case-1 of three-gram panchayat in Kishangarh tehsil of Ajmer district is focusing on the expanding physical gaps in the Aravalli range, and case-2 of three-gram panchayats in Tijara Recommending Strategies for Conserving Ecosystem Functions of the Aravalli Range Page - ii tehsil of Alwar district is focusing on increasing illegal mining in the Aravalli range. For measuring the degradation, physical, biological and social indicators are identified through literature review and for both the cases analysis is done on the basis of these indicators. Primary survey and focus group discussions are done with villagers, mining owners, illegal miners, and various government officials to understand dependency of people on the Aravalli and its importance to them and impact of degradation on their livelihood and environment. From the analysis, it has been found that green cover is continuously decreasing in both the cases, dense forest areas do not exist now. Also, the groundwater table is depleting at a very fast rate. Because of that, soil is losing its moisture and it is resulting in low yield and shift in agriculture. Wild animals which were easily seen earlier are now extinct. Cattles of villagers are dependent on the forest area in the Aravalli range for food, but with a decrease in fodder, their cattle numbers are decreasing. There is a decrease in agricultural land and increase in scrub and salt affected land (from the land use land cover analysis). Although there have been many orders by the supreme court and NGT to stop mining activities, the state governments are not able to stop mining activities, and the number of leases in the districts are continuously increasing. The result of the primary survey indicates that there is a lack of people awareness and participation for conserving the forest areas in the Aravalli range. Although these hill ranges are oldest, till now there has been no dedicated governing and institutional body for monitoring and management. Various programmes and acts have been assessed which were passed to conserve biodiversity, none of them helped to protect the Aravalli. For conserving the Aravalli and its forest areas, regional level and local level initiatives are required. At regional level it can be declared as ecologically sensitive zone and its boundary can be delineated. Aravalli Ecology Authority has been proposed whose role will be to monitor and manage the hill ranges at different levels. Related departments and institutions are horizontally linked for better coordination. At village or city level, buffer zones from the current forest boundaries are provided in which some activities will be restricted. With the help of joint forest management and watershed development program at the village level, conservation work will be done. Recommending Strategies for Conserving Ecosystem Functions of the Aravalli Range Page - iii This study is an attempt to formulate conservation and management strategies for the Aravalli range. These strategies will help in improving the biodiversity which can lead to the revival of its ecosystem functions. It will also help in curbing the pollution at the regional and local level. All this will lead to sustainable development of the region. Governance and community participation (decentralised) were identified as the two important tools that a planner can use to solve any local or regional issues. At various levels, there is a need to device and modify strategies and policies at regional level and at the same time community support at local level is required which will help in solving various issues which are there in our country.