An independent study by the 'We Are Aravalli' collective claims nearly a third of the Aravalli mountain range is ecologically at risk, refuting the government's assessment of 0.19 percent. Using satellite data, the study found 31.8 percent of the hills are below 100 meters, making them vulnerable to losing legal protection. The collective warns that mining in these low-elevation zones, critical for groundwater recharge and dust barriers, could worsen desertification, reduce water availability for cities like Jaipur and Gurugram, and increase pollution in Delhi-NCR, impacting 300 million people.