Mount Abu to be declared eco-fragile zone ...from the pages of HINDUSTAN TIMES

Rajasthan government is considering declaring Mount Abu, the desert state's only hill station, an eco-fragile zone. The need for this was felt as Mount Abu has been under severe threat from urbanisation that has led to unplanned and unbridled growth. "If this is not checked or regulated some way, it would adversely impact the very attributes that make this place so attractive," said Karan Singh, an activist with an NGO working towards ecological preservation.

At 1,200 metres above sea level, Mount Abu is a retreat at the southern tip of the Aravali range. It is also a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Jains. The town owes its cool climate to its rich flora covering the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs. Activists and locals admit that protecting this area would play a key role in keeping the green cover alive and check large-scale industrial development that can destroy surrounding areas.