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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court announced on Monday that the expert committee responsible for defining the Aravalli hills and ranges should engage with domain experts and various stakeholders, ensuring the public’s voice is included.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi, and Vipul M Pancholi, remarked that the committee’s composition should be limited to avoid becoming unmanageable.
“We cannot have a committee with 30 members, as it would be unmanageable. A size of 5-7 members is preferable, along with consultations with experts. We will include this in our order,” the bench stated.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, informed the court that the Central Empowered Committee and the amicus curiae had suggested common names for the panel, which could be finalized soon. Senior advocate K Parameshwar, serving as the amicus curiae, emphasized the necessity for the expert committee to consider stakeholder input for broader public engagement.
Previously, the Supreme Court had instructed the environment ministry and other stakeholders to propose names of domain experts to define the Aravalli hills and ranges, recognized as the oldest mountain system globally.
On December 29 of last year, the court acknowledged widespread concern regarding the definition of the Aravallis and temporarily set aside its November 20 directives that had accepted a standardized definition of the hills and ranges.
Additionally, all mining activities in the Aravallis have been suspended. The apex court highlighted the need to clarify “critical ambiguities,” such as whether a 100-meter elevation criterion and the 500-meter separation between hills might undermine significant portions of the range’s environmental protections.
On November 20, 2025, the court approved a uniform definition for the Aravalli hills and ranges and prohibited the issuance of new mining leases in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat until expert reports are received. It acknowledged recommendations from a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change aimed at safeguarding these areas.
The committee suggested defining “Aravalli Hill” as any landform in identified Aravalli districts with an elevation of at least 100 meters above local relief, and an “Aravalli Range” as a grouping of two or more such hills located within 500 meters of each other.
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