New Delhi, Dec 29 : The Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance its November judgment defining the Aravalli Hills, citing concerns that the revised definition could be misconstrued and potentially enable unregulated mining and environmental damage in the ecologically sensitive region.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.G. Masih said further clarification was required before the earlier directions and expert committee recommendations could be implemented. The court ordered that its previous directions would remain stayed until a fresh high-powered expert committee is constituted to re-examine the issue.
Issuing notice in the suo motu case, the bench said the matter would be heard again on January 21.
“We deem it necessary that the committee recommendation and directions of this Court be kept in abeyance. Stay to remain in effect till constitution of the committee,” the court said in its order.
The top court noted that its earlier observations and the expert report were being misconstrued, warranting a relook. It flagged concerns that the revised definition may have narrowed the scope of what constitutes the “Aravalli Hills,” while inversely expanding non-Aravalli areas, potentially facilitating the continuation of unregulated mining.
The bench said the proposed committee would examine whether regulated mining could be permitted in the 500-metre gaps between hills and if such activity would compromise ecological continuity. It also sought clarity on whether only 1,048 out of 12,081 hills actually meet the 100-metre elevation criterion under the revised definition, and whether a detailed geological enquiry was necessary.
CJI Surya Kant said the court proposed to constitute a high-powered expert committee to holistically assess the earlier report, identify territories that may have been excluded from the Aravalli region, and evaluate the risks of environmental degradation and damage to the range’s ecological integrity.
The court sought assistance from Attorney General R. Venkataramani and senior advocate P.S. Parmeshwar on the composition of the proposed committee. During the hearing, the Solicitor General informed the bench that states had been directed to ensure that no further mining activity is carried out meanwhile.
The suo motu proceedings were initiated following protests and concerns raised by environmental groups and civil society organisations over the dilution of protections for the Aravalli Hills, which play a crucial role in preventing desertification and sustaining groundwater levels.
The Aravalli range spans Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, where varying definitions across states have led to regulatory gaps and instances of illegal mining. In its November judgment, the Supreme Court had accepted a uniform definition proposed by the Environment Ministry, directed the Union government to prepare a comprehensive Sustainable Mining Management Plan, and barred fresh mining leases until expert reports were submitted.
