India, April 29 -- In the wake of repeated forest fires, rampant illegal dumping, and unchecked environmental destruction across the Aravallis, citizen groups and environmentalists have intensified calls for the urgent formation of an Aravalli Protection Force. Their demand gained fresh urgency after devastating fires on Saturday gutted more than 70 acres of forest land across the Gurugram-Faridabad belt, threatening critical wildlife corridors supporting at least 32 leopards, according to the Wildlife Institute of India's 2017 report.

Following the incidents, environmentalists met Haryana forest minister Rao Narbir Singh on Sunday and apprised him of the situation. Singh agreed to call a meeting with concerned officials and committed to...