Car Rally Rerouted Away from Critical Wildlife Habitat

Aravalli Hills, India

A car rally proposed in the Aravalli Hills in the State of Haryana, India has been rerouted away from ecologically sensitive areas.

The MRF Rally de North 2016 Car Rally would have allowed dozens of race cars and their support vehicles through the Aravalli Hills. The area serves as a wildlife corridor between the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sariska Tiger Reserves. The area is home to leopard, hyena, civet cat, jackal, as well as being in the catchment of Damdama Lake, home to nearly 200 bird species.

ELAW partner Rahul Choudhary of Legal Initiative of Forest and Environment (LIFE) urgently called the matter to the attention of the National Green Tribunal, which scheduled a hearing just days before the car rally would have started. ELAW Staff Scientist Mark Chernaik provided Rahul with documentation of how off-highway vehicles can negatively affect sensitive wildlife and impair water quality of nearby lakes.

In a last minute decision, the National Green Tribunal declared that no car rally would be allowed inside the Aravalli forest area.

“Many thanks to ELAW for giving quick inputs and valuable material…as to why such car rally should not be allowed.”

Congrats to our partners in India and their victory protecting wildlife!

For more information, see:
No car rally in Aravallis, organisers change route

Bern Johnson
Executive Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW)
bern@elaw.org
(541) 687-8454 Ext. 101

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