The Supreme Court has stepped in proactively amid the ongoing dispute over Aravalli hills’ definition, taking suo motu cognizance of the matter. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant—also including Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih—will hear the case on Monday.
This follows the court’s November 20 order approving a uniform definition for Aravalli hills and hill ranges across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. It halted new mining lease allotments until experts submit their report, endorsing recommendations from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change committee.
Under the accepted criteria, an “Aravalli hill” includes any landform in designated Aravalli districts rising 100 meters or more above the local ground level. An “Aravalli hill range” comprises two or more such hills within 500 meters of each other.
The move aims to protect these critical ecosystems from illegal mining and development pressures.
