The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its November 20 judgment that had narrowed the definition of the Aravalli range to landforms rising at least 100 metres above the local terrain. The apex court said it would re-examine the contentious issue and proposed constituting an expert panel to study questions related to the height, extent, and permissible mining activities in the Aravalli region.
A special bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices JK Maheshwari and AG Masih heard the matter in a special sitting titled “IN RE: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues.” The court’s decision comes amid growing concern over the environmental implications of the earlier ruling.
The development is significant as the November 20 judgment, which accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, was also delivered by a three-judge bench led by former Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai. That ruling had imposed a ban on the grant of fresh mining leases across Aravalli regions spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat until expert reports were submitted.
The Supreme Court had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the controversy surrounding the definition of the Aravallis, reopening the possibility of a judicial review of the criteria that restricted the mountain range to landforms with a minimum elevation of 100 metres above local relief.
The November ruling was based on recommendations made by a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The committee had proposed that an “Aravalli Hill” be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief. It further defined an “Aravalli Range” as a group of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.
The Aravalli Hills, among the oldest geological formations in the world, stretch from Delhi to Gujarat through Haryana and Rajasthan. Historically, they have been recognised across 37 districts and play a critical ecological role by acting as a barrier against desertification, supporting biodiversity, and aiding groundwater recharge.
Earlier, the apex court had warned that unchecked mining in the Aravalli region posed a “grave threat to the ecology of the nation” and stressed the need for uniform criteria to protect the fragile ecosystem. With the stay now in place, the court is expected to re-evaluate the definition and conservation framework to ensure long-term ecological stability and sustainable development.