Aravalli Mountain

Why is in news? Conservation of Aravalli Ecosystem- plantation of native & endemic species by DGGI in New Delhi

In the run up to Harit Mahotsav, officers & staff from Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) New Delhi, planted native and endemic plants, in an effort to supplement conservation of the Aravalli ecosystem at Aravalli Biodiversity Park, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, in association with Department of Environment Studies, Delhi University, and Delhi Development Authority.

Around 200 plants of local, endemic varieties/natural strains that are native to Aravalli ecosystem were planted to enrich the local flora which will not only prevent the degradation of ecosystem but will enrich the fauna and help in conservation efforts of DDA.

The endemic local species of Albizia lebbeck (siris), Bauhinia acuminata (Kachnar), Diospyros mlntana (tendu), Kydia calycina (bharanga), Murraya paniculata (kadipatha), Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (harsingar) , Sapindus trifoliatua(rita), Sapandus emarginata(another type of rita), Senegalia modesta (phulai), Senegalia catechu (khayar), Senegalia senegal (kumttha), Stereospermum chelonoides (patlaa), Terminalia bellirica (Baheda), Terminalia elliptica (aasan), Wrightia arborea (duthi), Wrightia tinctorea (also anotger duthi) were planted to enrich local ecosystem.

This Plantation Drive seeks:-

to create awareness to preserve the biodiversity of habitat and to conserve keystone species and other threatened plant and animal species,

establish field gene banks for threatened land races and wild genetic resources, promote education on environmental awareness and nature conservation,

establish native communities of the Aravalli hills and the River Yamuna basin particularly of the Delhi region,

develop mosaic of treatment and catchment wetlands that not only improve the water quality of untreated sewage but also sustain the rich aquatic flora and fauna of the Yamuna and monitor short term and long term changes in the ecology of the Delhi region.

Aravalli Mountain:

The Aravalli Range is an Old Fold mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat.

The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m.

The system is split into two sections: the larger Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, which include Guru Peak on Mount Abu, the highest peak in the Aravalli Range, and the shorter Sambhar-Khetri ranges, which are made up of three discontinuous ridges.

The Aravalli Range is abundant in natural resources (including minerals) and acts as a barrier to the western desert's expansion.

Several rivers flow from it, including the Banas, Luni, Sakhi, and Sabarmati.

Though highly wooded in the south, it is mostly desolate and sparsely inhabited in the north, consisting mostly of sand and stone and masses of rose-colored quartzite.

The Northern Aravalli range in Delhi and Haryana has humid subtropical climate and hot semi-arid continental climate with very hot summers and relatively cool winters.

The main characteristics of climate in Hisar are dryness, extremes of temperature, and scanty rainfall.

The Central Aravalli range in Rajasthan has an arid and dry climate.

The Southern Aravalli range in Gujarat has a tropical wet and dry climate.