New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hold a crucial suo motu hearing on Monday, December 29, regarding the definition and protection of the Aravalli Hills. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, and Justice A.G. Masih will hear the petition titled “In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues,” as per the cause list published on the apex court's website.
The court initiated the proceedings on its own motion to address growing concerns about the ecological fragility of the Aravalli range, which stretches from Delhi to Gujarat, and to review the government’s commitments to its preservation. The hearing comes amidst heightened scrutiny over environmental safeguards for the ancient mountain range.
In a significant step towards conservation, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) recently directed state governments to enforce a complete ban on new mining leases across the Aravalli landscape. The Ministry emphasized that this prohibition is intended to preserve the integrity of the range as a continuous geological ridge and curb unregulated mining. Furthermore, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been tasked with identifying additional zones where mining should be prohibited, expanding beyond current restrictions.
The issue has also sparked political debate. On Sunday, Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, expressing alarm over reports that the Aravallis might be redefined to include only landforms with an elevation of 100 metres or more. In his letter, shared on social media platform X, Ramesh posed four specific questions regarding this potential reclassification, calling it a "disastrous redefinition" that could undermine protection efforts.
(Inputs from IANS)