Udit vani, JAMSHEDPUR: Dr. Rajendra Singh, the Magsaysay awardee and conservationist widely known as the Waterman of India,’ is set to host a high-level convention in Jamshedpur on 22 May, 2026 (Friday).
The gathering aims to finalize the Indian Mountains Preservation Bill, marking a significant shift in Singh’s lifelong mission from local river restoration to a national campaign for high-altitude ecological protection.
A New Shield for India’s Peaks
The Indian Mountains Preservation Bill is aimed at creating a dedicated legal framework to protect the country’s high-altitude ecosystems. The Bill seeks to establish an autonomous Mountain Authority that would monitor hilly regions and enforce strict ecological regulations across the Himalayas and other ranges. The initiative arises as a response to the lack of existing protections for mountain assets, which are increasingly threatened by mining, real estate interests, and the diversion of river paths for infrastructure. By moving beyond his long-standing work on the Aravalli hills, Singh intends for this Bill to safeguard the ecological integrity of all Indian mountains, ensuring they are managed as vital natural assets rather than being subject to piecemeal industrial exploitation.
The Legal Battle for the Aravallis
The urgency of the convention follows recent legal volatility regarding the definition of protected lands.
• January 2026: The Supreme Court stayed its own November 2025 judgment which had proposed a 100-meter elevation criterion for defining a ‘hill.’
• The Risk: Had that criterion remained, over 90% of the low-lying Aravalli range would have lost its protected status.
• Current Status: A new committee is currently reviewing these definitions to ensure the ecosystem remains shielded.
Singh’s involvement in these legal battles dates back to the landmark 1992 apex court judgment. Originating from a PIL filed by Singh, that ruling prohibited mining within and around the Sariska Tiger Sanctuary, establishing the principle that environmental health must take precedence over both government and business interests
