Restoring the Aravallis: A Green Wall Against Desertification

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a project to restore the Aravalli mountain range, aiming to address desertification and environmental degradation. This initiative will help India meet climate goals by creating a carbon sink and restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is prepared to launch an ambitious project aimed at restoring the degraded areas of the Aravalli mountain range. Environment ministry sources confirmed that the initiative will begin officially on June 5.

Modi plans to plant saplings in the South Delhi ridge area—a stretch that forms a part of the 700 km-long mountain range extending from Gujarat to the national capital. Joining him will be the chief ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

Under this extensive project, about a thousand nurseries will be developed across 29 districts in the Aravallis. The `Aravalli Green Wall` initiative, first unveiled in March 2023, aims to establish a five-kilometer-wide green belt over 6.45 million hectares. Not only does this serve as a carbon sink, but it also acts as a natural barrier against desertification, protecting major cities from the encroaching Thar desert.

(With inputs from agencies.)