State PCS - Haryana (HCS)

• 05 Jun 2025

Aravalli Green Wall Initiative

Why in News? 

On World Environment Day (5 June, 2025), the Prime Minister extended the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign initiative as part of the ‘Aravalli Green Wall project’ to reforest the Aravalli mountain range from Delhi to Gujarat. 

• As part of the initiative, the Haryana government will restore 25,000 hectares of degraded forest land. 

World Environment Day (WED) 

• About & History: 
  • World Environment Day was established in 1972 during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm.  
    • Later that year, the UN General Assembly officially designated June 5 as World Environment Day.  
  • The first celebration took place in 1973 with the theme “Only One Earth,” marking the beginning of what would become the largest global platform for environmental awareness. 
  • WED celebration in 2021 started the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) which is a global mission to revive billions of hectares, from forests to farmlands, from the top of mountains to the depth of the seas. 
• WED 2025: 
  • The Republic of Korea will host WED 2025 with a focus on ending plastic pollution globally. 
  • The theme for 2025 is “ Beat Plastic Pollution," a global focus on reducing plastic waste. 
  • India hosted the 45th celebration of World Environment Day in 2018 under the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. 

Key Points 

• About the Aravalli Green Wall Project Presentation: 
  • Inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall initiative, the Aravali Green Wall project aims to- 
    • Restore over 1.1 million hectares of degraded landscapes by 2027. 
    • Focus on afforestation with native species, soil health improvement, and groundwater replenishment. 
    • Develop an "ecological wall" to mitigate urban heat islands and act as a carbon sink for NCR. 
• Environmental Threats to the Aravallis: 
  • The Aravalli range, one of the oldest mountain ranges in India, spans Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. 
  • The region faces severe environmental degradation due to illegal mining and rapid urbanisation. 
• Nursery Development Plan: 
  • The government will develop 1,000 nurseries across 29 districts of the Aravalli range to support large-scale afforestation under the Aravalli Green Wall project. 
  • To mitigate degradation, the government plans to increase tree plantation and expand green cover along the range. 
  • The initiative aims to restore biodiversity, stabilise soil, and rejuvenate ecological balance. 
• Distribution of Degraded Areas: 
  • Rajasthan holds the majority of degraded land: 81%. 
  • Gujarat accounts for 15.8%. 
  • Haryana has 1.7%. 
  • Delhi contains 1.6% of the total degraded area. 

Aravali Mountain Range 

 

• About:  
  • The Aravallis, is the oldest fold mountain on Earth. Geological studies indicate that it is three billion years old. 
  • It spans from Gujarat to Delhi (through Rajasthan and Haryana). 
  • The highest peak in the Aravalli Range is Guru Peak on Mount Abu. 
• Impact on Climate: 
  • The Aravallis have an impact upon the climate of northwest India and beyond. 
  • During monsoons, the mountain range gently guides the monsoon clouds eastwards towards Shimla and Nainital, thus helping nurture the sub-Himalayan rivers and feeding the north Indian plains. 
  • During the winter months, it shields the fertile alluvial river valleys of the Indus and Ganga from the harsh cold westerly winds blowing in from Central Asia. 
• Ecological Role of the Aravalli Range: 
  • The Aravalli range acts as a natural shield against desertification by preventing the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert. 
  • It protects major cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, and Gurugram from desert encroachment and rising aridity. 
• Rivers: 
  • The range serves as the origin point for several important rivers, including the Chambal, Sabarmati, and Luni. 
  • These rivers are crucial for agriculture, drinking water, and regional ecosystems across northwestern India. 
• Biodiversity Hotspot: 
  • The forests, grasslands, and wetlands in the Aravalli support numerous endangered plant and animal species, making it a critical ecological habitat. 
• Threats to the Aravalli Ecosystem: 
  • Deforestation, illegal mining, overgrazing, and human settlements are accelerating land degradation across the range. 
    • These activities are damaging underground aquifers, drying lakes, and weakening the range’s ability to support wildlife and biodiversity. 

Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign 

• About: It aims to honor mothers by encouraging tree planting in their names, combining environmental conservation with a tribute to motherhood, symbolizing how mothers, like trees, nurture and sustain life. 
  • It was launched by the Prime Minister on World Environment Day, 5th June, 2024. 
• Objective: To promote environmental preservation, increase forest cover, and support sustainable development while honoring mothers. 
• World Record Achievement: On 22nd September 2024, 128 Infantry Battalion & Ecological Task Force of the Territorial Army planted over 5 lakh saplings in one hour in Jaisalmer.