Jaipur, 26 Dec 2025: Senior citizens staged a demonstration in Jaipur on Friday, demanding urgent action to protect the Aravalli hills and address local environmental concerns, and the Rajasthan Congress has announced plans to escalate the agitation starting December 27.
Dozens of elderly residents, many of whom are long-time residents of the city, gathered at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur to voice their grievances. The protest highlighted concerns over deforestation, encroachment, and shrinking green cover in the Aravalli region, issues senior citizens said are impacting the environment and quality of life in the state capital and surrounding areas.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the protestors called on the Rajasthan government and civic authorities to step up conservation efforts for the Aravalli hills, which are crucial for groundwater recharge, air purification and ecological balance in the region. “We want our children and grandchildren to breathe clean air and have access to natural resources,” said one senior participant.
The demonstration also drew support from members of civil society and environmental activists, who urged authorities to accelerate implementation of protective policies and crack down on illegal mining and unplanned urban expansion.
Separately, the Rajasthan Congress has announced that it will expand the agitation from Saturday, December 27, bringing in more activists and party workers as part of a broader stir to amplify demands for environmental protection and sustainable development in the Aravalli belt. Party leaders said the expanded protest will involve additional marches, sit-ins and public outreach programmes across Jaipur.
A party spokesperson stated that the movement aims to pressure the state government into taking concrete legislative and administrative action to safeguard the Aravalli hills and ensure ecological security for future generations. “This is not a political fight but a people’s fight for life, health and environment,” the spokesperson said.
The state government has so far acknowledged the importance of the Aravalli ecosystem but has maintained that any interventions must balance environmental priorities with developmental needs. Authorities have not yet responded to the latest protest or the Congress party’s announcement.