(Written by Jasvinder Sehgal)AdvertisingNew Delhi construction is fueling the devastation of the ancient Aravali Hills, impacting water, desertification, and air pollution. Stretching for some 800 kilometers (430 miles) from Delhi across the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana, the Aravali Hills are believed to date back 350 million years, making them even older than the Himalayas. Local resident, Munna Mev, who is in the hills collecting fresh leaves to feed his goats, says the ban has been ineffective. “It’s detrimental for this country.”The reality is that excavation of the hills has become a lucrative industry and a way of life in the Aravalis outside New Delhi. But Girdhari Singh, the owner of the Creative Projects & Contracts construction company argues that housing is just as important as hills – and that development requires change.

Source: Indian Express July 26, 2019 12:56 UTC