Save Aravali

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...

Save Aravali Trust is a leading environmental NGO in India, dedicated to forest restoration, afforestation, water conservation, ecosystem creation, and wildlife protection . We provide corporates and donors with impactful CSR opportunities that align with sustainable development goals (SDGs) and environmental responsibility. Our programs are designed to create measurable ecological impact while giving partners recognition and engagement opportunities through volunteering, events, and public campaigns. CSR Opportunities in Forest Creation & Afforestation Afforestation and Plantation Drives: Sponsor large-scale tree planting campaigns in degraded lands, urban areas, schools, and forests. Forest Restoration Projects: Help restore endangered forests in the Aravali ranges, Western Ghats, and other regions. Green Cover Expansion: Your CSR funds directly increase India’s green cover while empowering local communities. Monitoring & Impact Reporting: We provide detailed reports ...

Forests of India: A Complete Guide India is home to a rich variety of forests, ranging from the towering Himalayas in the north to the tropical Western Ghats in the south, the arid Aravali ranges in Rajasthan, the lush mangroves along the coast, and the biodiversity-rich North-East. These forests are not only home to thousands of species of plants and animals but also play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, regulating climate, and supporting human life. In this post, we explore the major forests, tiger reserves, mangroves, and wildlife sanctuaries of India . Himalayan & Northern Forests Himalayan Forests Shivalik Forests Sub-Himalayan Forests Sub-Alpine Forests Alpine Forests Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) Kedarnath Forests Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh) Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Gangotri National Park Rajaji National Park (Uttarakhand) Kishtwar Forests (Jammu & Kashmir) Hemis National Park (Ladakh) Dachigam National Park (Jammu & Kashmir)...

Save Aravali Trust is a citizen-led environmental initiative dedicated to protecting the Aravali forests, wildlife, water systems, and ecological balance. We work through public awareness, legal action, and on-ground campaigns to defend India’s oldest mountain range for future generations. FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER X LINKEDIN PAGE GOOGLE PAGE THREADS WHATSAPP CHANNEL TELEGRAM PAGE ARATTAI CHANNEL YOUTUBE PINTEREST BLOG REDITT TRUTH SOCIAL WEBSITE MASTODON BLUESKY HD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS GOOGLE GROUP - VOLUNTEERS GOOGLE GROUP - JOURNALISTS FACEBOOK GROUP FACEBOOK GROUP - SAVE ARAVALI KIDS DONATE DONATE - EASEBUZZ CHECK OUR ACCOUNT SHEET JOIN AS A VOLUNTEER Team connect -  LINKEDIN PROFILE WHATSAPP DIRECT MESSAGE GMAIL - OFFICIAL GMAIL - COMMUNICATION OFFICIAL MAIL PHONE - OFFICAL PHONE - GENERAL

Save Aravali Trust expresses deep concern over the recent decision of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to approve the so-called “rationalisation” of boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, including its Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) and buffer zones. While this proposal is being projected as a scientific and technical exercise, its real implications pose a serious threat to wildlife conservation, forest protection, and the fragile Aravali ecosystem. According to official documents, the total notified area of the Critical Tiger Habitat is proposed to increase from 881.11 square kilometres to 924.49 square kilometres, while the buffer area is proposed to shrink from 245.72 square kilometres to 203.2 square kilometres. On paper, this appears to be an expansion of protection. However, a closer examination reveals that this “increase” masks a dangerous dilution of actual, on-ground protection. In practical terms, approximately 48.5 square kilometres of ecolo...

An unbiased, apolitical, nationalist movement with no vested interests, dedicated to protecting India’s forests, wildlife, and natural heritage. Join the Jungel Sena Social Media page links - Direct Connect -