Why the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram is Urging for More Time on Aravalli Hills Committee Submissions

Request for Extension on Aravalli Hills Committee Submissions

New Delhi: The Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram has formally requested the chairperson of the high-powered committee, established by the Supreme Court regarding the Aravalli Hills, to extend the deadline for stakeholders to submit their suggestions by an additional two months.

The committee, set up by the Supreme Court, is currently gathering feedback, suggestions, and insights from various stakeholders concerning the Aravalli Hills and Ranges.

Established on May 25, this committee is responsible for investigating issues related to the Aravalli Hills and Ranges and is expected to present its findings to the Supreme Court by August 31.

As per a press release from the environment ministry dated July 21, the committee is seeking input from stakeholders in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat, along with environmentalists, mining leaseholders, and local communities whose livelihoods are closely tied to the region's ecosystem and biodiversity.

The notice specifies that submissions should be backed by documentary evidence or verifiable materials and must be sent via email or an official Google form within 21 days of the notice's publication.

Concerns have arisen regarding the committee's impartiality, given that it primarily consists of former government officials.

In a letter addressed to the committee on August 2, Vishnu Kant, joint secretary of Kalyan Ashram, pointed out that unlike the Delhi-NCR and Haryana regions, numerous Janajatis (Scheduled Tribes) reside in the remote areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, which are safeguarded under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

"A mere 20-day window for submitting concerns, along with a few days for field visits by the committee, is merely a formality. Therefore, an extension of at least two months for responses is essential," stated the RSS-affiliated organization in a press release shared on Saturday.

The organization also requested that the committee's field visit schedule be published in advance in regional-language newspapers in Hindi and Gujarati, ensuring that the less-educated rural Janajati population is informed about the visits and their objectives.

"Public-elected representatives should be consulted, in addition to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), on this significant policy matter affecting the STs, as consultation with the NCST is mandated under Article 338A of the Constitution," the letter emphasized.

Kant further suggested that the submission format be simplified and that a provision be made for accepting written suggestions via postal mail.

"It is quite challenging, even for an educated individual, to provide feedback solely through the website's rigid format," Kant remarked in the letter.