Supreme Court Forms Expert Panel to Define Aravalli Hills Boundaries
Quick Look
- The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a 5-7 member expert committee to delineate the Aravalli hills.
- The panel will consult domain experts and stakeholders, including the public, to address ambiguities in the definition and ensure environmental protection.
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Why It Matters
The Supreme Court is forming an expert committee to define the boundaries of the Aravalli hills, a move that follows previous directives halting mining and establishing a temporary definition. Concerns were raised about critical ambiguities in the definition, particularly regarding elevation and spacing criteria, which could affect environmental protection.
The Supreme Court on Monday said the expert committee to be constituted to define the Aravalli hills and ranges must consult domain experts and other stakeholders so that the public is heard at large.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also said the committee cannot have a large composition as it becomes unmanageable.
"We cannot have a composition of 30 people as it will become unmanageable. The committee must consult experts, and it should have 5-7 members. We will note it in the order," the bench said.
As the hearing commenced, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the Central Empowered Committee and the amicus curiae have given common names to be included (in the panel), which can be finalised.
Senior advocate K Parameshwar, the amicus curiae, said the expert committee must take into account the stakeholders as well so that the public is heard at large.
The top court had earlier asked the environment ministry and other stakeholders to suggest names of domain experts for the panel, which would define the Aravalli hills and ranges, the world's oldest mountain system.
On December 29 last year, the top court took note of the outcry over the new definition of the Aravallis and kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges.
It had also stalled all mining activities in the Aravallis.
The apex court said there was a need to resolve "critical ambiguities", including whether the criteria of 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills would strip a significant portion of the range of environmental protection.
On November 20, 2025, the top court accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and banned the grant of fresh mining leases inside its areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until experts' reports are out.
It had accepted the recommendations of a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges to protect them.
The committee had recommended that the "Aravalli Hill" 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.
Open Questions
- What specific criteria will the committee use to define the Aravalli hills?
- What is the exact composition of the expert committee?
- What is the timeline for the committee's deliberations and final report?
- How will the committee ensure effective public consultation?
