Haryana has launched one of India’s most ambitious ecological restoration projects on World Environment Day, as the state kicks off work to restore nearly 25,000 hectares of degraded Aravali land.
This initiative marks the first phase of the nationwide Green Wall push—a strategic afforestation mission designed to create a continuous green corridor from Gujarat to Delhi. The state’s contribution to the effort will focus on five Aravali districts—Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh, Rewari and Mahendragarh—identified as having significant tracts of degraded forest land in urgent need of ecological recovery. The sixth Aravali district, Charkhi Dadri, will be excluded from the current phase due to its relatively intact forest cover. The plan, set to unfold over three years, targets restoration in recorded forest areas mapped through GIS technology. Out of the 33,706 hectares of total forest land assessed in these districts, 24,990 hectares have been categorised as degraded. The classification includes land with low tree density, barren stretches, and scrub zones, with over 76% found to have soil conditions suitable for deep-rooted plantation and long-term ecological rehabilitation.
The Green Wall initiative, introduced nationally in 2023, draws inspiration from Africa’s Great Green Wall programme. In the Indian context, it aims to revive 1.1 million hectares of the Aravalis—India’s oldest mountain range and a crucial ecological buffer protecting northern India from the spread of the Thar Desert. By acting as a natural barrier, the Aravalis play a critical role in curbing desertification and maintaining regional climatic stability. According to Haryana’s restoration blueprint, the process will begin with soil and water conservation activities to stabilise the land, followed by the plantation of 15 to 20 native tree species customised for the local topography and climatic conditions. These indigenous species will be chosen to maximise survival rates, enhance biodiversity, and restore the self-sustaining functions of the forest.
The significance of Haryana’s involvement cannot be overstated. Nearly 40% of the Aravalis lie within its six districts, making the state an essential stakeholder in the success of this pan-India ecological undertaking. If the planned work meets its objectives, it could set the precedent for large-scale forest revival in ecologically vulnerable zones across the country. Officials behind the effort have emphasised that restoration is not merely about increasing green cover. It is an integrated approach aimed at securing ecosystem services—like groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity protection—while creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
Employment opportunities will emerge through afforestation work, nursery development, water conservation, and land management. However, environmental planners and conservationists caution that the true test will lie in execution. Previous afforestation drives have been criticised for being short-lived or poorly monitored. Ensuring community participation, ongoing maintenance, and transparent reporting mechanisms will be vital to achieving meaningful results. As India grapples with extreme weather events, declining forest health, and rising emissions, projects like the Green Wall are emerging as symbols of long-term ecological responsibility.
For Haryana, this is more than a reforestation mission—it is an opportunity to reimagine land stewardship in the face of accelerating climate change and environmental degradation. The restoration of the Aravalis, one of the subcontinent’s oldest and most abused natural systems, could become a beacon of resilience—if the promise of intent is matched with consistency on the ground.
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