The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its November 20 judgment that limited the definition of the Aravalli range to landforms rising at least 100 metres above the local terrain, saying the directions of apex court in November 20 verdict will be kept in abeyance. Issuing a stay on the order, court said there are issues that will require clarification.
The top court decided to revisit the contentious issue of what constitutes the Aravallis and proposed forming an expert panel to comprehensively examine questions relating to their height and permissible mining in the region.
Amid the ongoing Aravalli Hills controversy, the Supreme Court on Saturday had taken suo motu cognisance of the contentious issue surrounding the definition of the Aravallis as it reopened the possibility of a judicial relook at its ruling that restricted the mountain range to landforms rising at least 100 metres above the local relief, HT reported earlier.
The case, titled “IN RE: DEFINITION OF ARAVALLI HILLS AND RANGES AND ANCILLARY ISSUES”, was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices JK Maheshwari and AG Masih, in a special sitting.
The development assumes significance as the earlier ruling that accepted the contested definition of the Aravallis was also delivered by a three-judge bench led by former Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai.
On November 20, the top court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and banned grant of fresh mining leases inside its areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until experts' reports are out.
The apex court had accepted the recommendations of a committee of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on the definition of Aravalli hills and ranges to protect the world's oldest mountain system.
The committee recommended that "Aravalli Hill" will be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief and an "Aravalli Range" will be a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other, PTI reported.
The Aravalli Hills and Ranges are among India’s oldest geological formations, spanning between Delhi to Gujarat through Haryana and Rajasthan. Historically, they have been recognised across 37 districts by state governments, with their ecological role noted as a natural barrier against northern desertification and a protector of biodiversity and water recharge.
The committee, while defining Aravalli hills, said, "Any landform located in the Aravalli districts, having an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief, shall be termed as Aravalli Hills... The entire landform lying within the area enclosed by such lowest contour, whether actual or extended notionally, together with the Hill, its supporting slopes and associated landforms irrespective of their gradient, shall be deemed to constitute part of the Aravalli Hills."
The panel also defined Aravalli Range and said, "Two or more Aravalli Hills ..., located within the proximity of 500m from each other, measured from the outermost point on the boundary of the lowest contour line on either side forms Aravalli Range.
The Supreme Court earlier emphasised that uncontrolled mining here poses a “great threat to the ecology of the nation” and directed uniform criteria to safeguard them. Their conservation is thus vital for ecological stability, cultural heritage, and sustainable development.