Supreme Court Takes Notice of Aravalli Hills Controversy Ahead of Hearing

Supreme Court to Hear Aravalli Hills Case

Amidst ongoing disputes regarding the Aravalli hills, the Supreme Court has decided to take suo motu cognizance of the matter and will conduct a hearing on Monday. The vacation bench, led by Chief Justice Suryakant, will include Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih in the proceedings.

On November 20, the Supreme Court acknowledged a uniform definition for the Aravalli hills and mountain ranges, imposing a ban on the allocation of new mining leases in the Aravalli regions spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat until expert reports are submitted.

The court accepted recommendations from a committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. According to the committee, the term 'Aravalli Hill' will refer to any landform within the designated Aravalli districts that rises 100 meters or more above the local lowest point. Meanwhile, 'Aravalli Mountain Range' will be defined as a cluster of two or more hills located within 500 meters of each other.