SC takes suo motu note of Aravalli row, hearing on hill definition set for tomorrow

Amid mounting debate over its approved definition of the Aravalli hills, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the issue and will hear the matter on Monday. A three-judge vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices JK Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih is set to take up the case titled "In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues."  

The hearing follows the apex court’s November 20 judgment, which adopted a uniform definition for the Aravalli hills and ranges across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The court had also imposed a ban on new mining leases in these areas pending expert reports.  

The court accepted recommendations from a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) committee, which defined an Aravalli hill as any landform in designated districts with an elevation of at least 100 metres above local relief. A range would comprise two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.  

The judgement, part of the long-running TN Godavarman Thirumulpad environmental litigation, underscored the ecological significance of the Aravallis — calling them a “green barrier” against the Thar desert’s eastward expansion and a vital biodiversity hotspot.  

Chief Justice Gavai, who authored the 29-page order, noted: “We further accept the recommendations with regard to the prohibition of mining in core/inviolate areas with exception as carved out of the ... committee's report.”  

The court directed authorities to map out zones for mining and conservation, stressing that no new leases be granted until a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), to be finalised by MoEF&CC and ICFRE, is in place. Existing mining operations may continue but must comply with the committee’s guidelines.

(With inputs from PTI)