â–ºSupreme Court takes suo motu notice of dispute over Aravalli hills definition.
â–ºThe bench led by CJI Surya Kant will hear the case on December 29.
â–ºThe issue arises from a 100-metre elevation criterion that environmentalists say risks mining and ecosystem damage.
The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the ongoing dispute around how the Aravalli Hills are defined legally, and is set to hear the matter on December 29 before a vacation bench.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.G. Masih, has been scheduled to examine the case titled In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues.
The controversy stems from a November 20 ruling in which the Court accepted expert committee recommendations on defining the Aravallis for mining regulation.
Under that definition, a landform must have an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief to qualify as an Aravalli hill, and clusters of such hills within 500 metres of each other are considered a range.
Environmentalists, activists, and citizens have raised strong objections to this elevation-based rule. They warn that hills and landforms under 100 metres could be excluded from protected status and become open to mining and other development, potentially harming the ecology of one of India’s oldest mountain systems.
The Aravalli range stretches across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, and plays a vital role in supporting biodiversity, recharging water sources, and stabilising local climates.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected a total mining ban in the area, saying that outright prohibition can fuel illegal mining and criminal activity. Instead, it favoured targeted protection of core zones while regulating other activities.
Now, in response to rising public and ecological concerns, the Court is revisiting the matter to clarify or reconsider its previous decision when it reconvenes before the end of the year.