Ramnagar, Oct. 12 -- Mining, urbanisation and the loss of forest land are putting pressure on the Aravallis, a range that plays an important role in groundwater recharge and supports a wide variety of wildlife. Ecological restoration practitioner Vijay Dhasmana, who has spent nearly two decades working to restore parts of the range, said that it needs a comprehensive conservation plan that looks at the entire landscape.

He has worked on restoring degraded stretches of the Aravallis, including the site where the Aravali Biodiversity Park in Gurugram stands today. The area had witnessed mining and stone-crushing activities in the 1980's, which left hill slopes barren and forest patches degraded. In 2002 the Supreme Court ordered a stay on ...