Save Aravali

Haryana was not always what it is becoming today. Long before rapid urbanisation and unchecked development, the villages of the state followed a deeply rooted ecological wisdom - one that balanced human life with nature. Every village traditionally preserved a “bani”   -   a patch of protected forest that acted as a natural lung, biodiversity hub, and cultural symbol. Alongside this, the presence of at least one water body   -   a pond, johad, or talab   -   was considered essential. These were not mere resources; they were lifelines. A Culture Rooted in Simplicity and Nature The spiritual life of rural Haryana was simple yet profound. Unlike the overwhelming diversity of rituals seen today, devotion was focused and grounded. Villagers worshipped a few deities   -   Ram, Kirsan Ji, Hanuman, Devi Mata, and Shiv ji   -   but their practices were closely tied to nature. They prayed at: Banks of ponds Local mandirs Sooraj Maharaj (the Sun) J...

Hi everyone! Delhi NCR (including Delhi, Sonipat, Gurugram, Sohna, Faridabad, Palwal, Ghaziabad, and Noida) faces tough problems: too much dust in the air, very dry ground in summer, fast-dropping groundwater levels, and yearly floods when heavy rain comes. But there's a positive, long-term fix that can solve many of these at once. The key idea: Clean the Yamuna water first, add extra clean Ganga water to boost the Yamuna's flow, then send this good water through old drains turned into canals and new connecting canals to every NCR city. This creates a big network of flowing water everywhere – like a green lifeline for the whole region! Why Add Ganga Water? It's Already Being Planned! Right now (early 2026), the Yamuna in Delhi has very low water most of the year because a lot is taken upstream for farms and cities. This makes pollution worse and the river weak. Good news: The Central Government, with help from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, is working on diverting extra water f...

Something deeply unnatural is happening around us. What was once a simple relationship between food and nourishment has increasingly turned into a complex industrial system built on excess consumption, aggressive marketing, and unchecked waste generation — and most people don't even notice until it's too late. This shift is no longer just a lifestyle trend. It has become a serious crisis of public health, environmental breakdown, and governance failure. --- The Manufacturing of Artificial Hunger Modern food companies have succeeded in turning hunger into a commercial strategy rather than a biological signal. Across media, advertisements, and digital platforms, we are continually told that: Eating every 2 hours is essential Constant snacking boosts energy Packaged food equals modern living Brands know nutrition better than culture or tradition Convenience must be prioritized over balance These are not benign lifestyle tips — they are market designs to drive consumption. The outc...

By Jungle Sena | January 28, 2026 In the arid heart of Rajasthan's Nagaur district, a quiet ecological crime unfolds every single day. What was once the backbone of desert life—the revered Khejri tree (Prosopis cineraria)—is now being systematically dismantled for quick profits. A recent investigative report from Dainik Bhaskar (dated January 24, 2026) has pulled back the curtain on one of the most brazen operations in Karkedi village, on the border of Ajmer and Nagaur districts. According to the exposé, smugglers operate illegal saw (ara) machines across approximately 12 bighas of land in Karkedi. These machines run day and night, processing felled Khejri trees into logs.  The finished product? Up to 1,500 tons of wood dispatched daily to more than 10 districts, including major hubs like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Sikar, and Bikaner. The smugglers themselves admitted to the Bhaskar team: "As many vehicles as needed, that many are dispatched daily." They earn ₹500–550 per quintal—a...

The Aravali issue emerged from a proposed “100-metre height-based definition” of the Aravali Hills, which risked excluding large parts of this ancient ecosystem from legal protection. What followed was one of India’s most widespread citizen-led environmental movements - marked by lawful action, mass awareness, and disciplined leadership. Key Developments & Public Response November 20, 2025 The Supreme Court accepted a new uniform definition of the Aravali Hills and Ranges, defining them as landforms rising at least 100 metres above local relief . The definition was based on a committee recommendation of the MoEFCC. The Court directed preparation of a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining and barred new mining leases until the plan is finalised. December 2025: Nationwide Mobilisation Environmental experts, citizens, and civil society groups raised alarms that the new definition could leave vast stretches of the Aravalis outside legal protection. Save Aravali Trust emerged as the p...

India’s mangroves continue to survive not because of proactive governance, but because of persistent civil society action and judicial intervention. A recent compliance report submitted to the Bombay High Court reveals that 955 hectares of mangrove land across seven coastal districts of Maharashtra were handed over to the Forest Department between October 16, 2025 and January 6, 2026. This handover followed a contempt petition filed in 2025 by NGO Vanashakti, highlighting the state’s failure to comply with long-standing court orders. While this development is being presented as progress, the larger truth is deeply troubling: this compliance comes nearly seven years late. A reminder of the 2018 landmark judgment In September 2018, the Bombay High Court, acting on a public interest litigation filed by the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) in 2006, issued a landmark judgment to protect Maharashtra’s mangroves. The court directed that: All mangrove areas on government land be declar...

India’s forests are not empty land banks. They are living ecosystems. They are cultural memory, climate shields, water regulators, and wildlife homes. Yet once again, the Government of India is treating forests as expendable commodities. Jungle Sena strongly condemns the January 2, 2026 amendment issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) that opens up forest land for commercial plantations by private and government entities , while removing mandatory safeguards like Net Present Value (NPV) payments and Compensatory Afforestation . This move is not “forest restoration.” This is institutionalised disturbance, dilution, and humiliation of India’s forests . What has the government done? By amending the 2023 guidelines under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam (earlier the Forest Conservation Act), the MoEFCC has: • Reclassified commercial plantations as “forestry activities” • Removed the requirement of NPV payments • Removed the requirement o...