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Explainer Aravalli Hills: Water resources are dwindling in the Aravalli Hills

  The ongoing survey of the Aravalli for the ‘Green Wall’ project has brought to light several startling issues, including the lost reservoirs and water resources of Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh. The blame lies with mining, which was legal till the early 2000s and is now allegedly being done illegally, and the concreting of hills, which has led to damage to water networks in three districts.

A recent survey had highlighted legal mining till the early 2000s, after which uncontrolled illegal mining and unbridled construction had caused irreparable damage to the Aravalli water network. The mining created water-filled pits, but it destroyed the original lakes, ponds, reservoirs and natural drainage systems.

The survey lists at least 120 water bodies, including ponds, lakes and springs, which have dried up in the last two decades. According to the forest department’s affidavit submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the number of natural and man-made water bodies in the Aravalli has come down from 265 to less than 50 in less than 30 years, with about 500 acres of forest land lost to development.

Causes of the disaster and impact on groundwater
The serious situation has been mainly attributed to mining and increasing concrete construction on the mountains. Mining was legal till the early 2000s, but now illegal mining and unregulated construction have irreparably damaged the natural drainage system. Deep mining has affected the internal water reserves (aquifers). Construction in the catchment area has blocked the natural flow of water, affecting the entire NCR and parts of Rajasthan.

Rivers and areas affected
Major rivers originating from the Aravalli such as Banas, Luni, Sahibi and Sakhi are now almost dry due to reduced water flow. Faridabad's famous Badkhal Lake, Peacock Lake and Surajkund Lake have now disappeared. Nuh district is the worst affected, where more than 20 waterfalls of Ferozepur Jhirka and Kotla Mubarakpur have stopped flowing. In Gurugram, Damdama Lake of Sohna, three waterfalls of Bhondsi and natural springs of the Raisina hills have also been affected.

Why has mining caused such long-term damage?

Deep mining depletes water reservoirs, disrupts groundwater channels and leads to deepening of groundwater levels by 1,000-2,000 feet in some areas. Construction on catchment areas and storm water drains has further altered natural drainage, affecting water availability in parts of NCR and Rajasthan.
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