Karoonjhar calling

A publicly commissioned and legitimate sociopolitical system ideally relies on, accounts for and caters to society's needs. However, societies with questionable sociopolitical and institutional legitimacy tend to be ruthless in their policies, pursuits and practices vis-à-vis their populations — let alone their historical, cultural, natural and topographical assets. Today, ours is hardly an exception.

This manifests in socio-economic agonies, marginalisation and hopelessness among the ruled, as well as in the little — if any — legitimacy of the rulers and their increasingly extractive, exclusive policies and practices that repel talent, FDI and MNCs. Lacking resources to sustain elite capture, this dispensation has begun to relentlessly capitalise on protected cultural heritage. The war on nature is evident, among other instances, in the renewed effort to questionably legitimise the exploitation of the protected Karoonjhar.

For years, excavations continued by private companies until the civil court of Nagarparkar, in January 2022, cancelled the licenses of multiple contractors, ordering the immediate removal of machinery and camps. In October 2023, a division bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad issued a landmark judgment on the preservation of the Karoonjhar Hills in Nagarparkar, calling for their protection in accordance with international guidelines. In September 2024, the Mirpurkhas circuit bench of the Sindh High Court reaffirmed that the entire Karoonjhar mountain range in Tharparkar is protected heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994.

A 19-km mountain range in the Nagarparkar area bordering the Rann of Kutch in Sindh, the Karoonjhar Mountains rise up to 306 meters above sea level and hold profound geological, cultural, historical, ecological, economic and aesthetic significance. Geologically, the mountain is primarily composed of granite and forms an extension of India's ancient Aravalli Range, which dates back to the Archean eon — lasting from approximately 4.0 to 2.5 billion years — making it one of the oldest rock systems on Earth. For context, the Earth itself is approximately 4.5 billion years old.

The range is also a profoundly sacred site with over a hundred religious landmarks, including Jain Mandir, Hindu shrines and Bhodesar Mosque. It also houses Marvi's well and preserves Sindhi and Gujarati poetry, legends and folklore, including the stories of Saranga, Othal Pari and Odho Jam.

The Karoonjhar microhabitat, an extension of the Rann of Kachh Wildlife Sanctuary, hosts multiple flora and fauna, with about 89 plant species — including rare, medicinal and drought-resistant plants — calling it their home. Similarly, several threatened and protected fauna, such as Indian gazelles, desert hares, jackals and peacocks, find refuge in the idyllic Karoonjhar mountains. The region's indigenous medicinal plants, like satawari and wild onion, are used by local communities for traditional remedies and livelihoods.

The mountains, a crucial water catchment area in the water-scarce Tharparkar region, feed two perennial springs — Anchleshwar and Sardharo — and numerous seasonal streams, like Bhatiani and Gordhro, providing essential water for groundwater recharge, local biodiversity and the drinking and agricultural needs. Additionally, the mountains' unique natural beauty — especially after the monsoon — combined with their historical and cultural sites, such as ancient Jain temples and the Sardharo picnic point, attracts thousands of visitors, making the range an important hub for tourism in Sindh.

Defying heritage significance and SHC rulings, the provincial government appealed to the SC, which has now referred the case to the controversial FCC, sparking lawyers' protests and civil society condemnation.

Given the mountain's invaluable significance, advocacy groups and naturalists need to push for UNESCO World Heritage status, lest the heritage be devoured by an arbitrary FCC verdict.