Aravalli Row: Supreme Court asks Centre, others to suggest domain experts for panel

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and other stakeholders to suggest domain experts’ names along with their profiles for setting up a panel which would define the Aravalli hills and ranges, and observed that only lawful mining would be allowed in the region.

Noting that certain clarifications were needed regarding the definition of Aravalli Hills it recently approved, the Supreme Court had on December 29 last year ordered to keep in abeyance its November 20, 2025, ruling that was based on a committee’s recommendations.

It had decided to set up a new high-powered committee of domain experts to examine the environmental impact of the recommendations made by the earlier committee. However, the

Taking note of “a significant outcry among environmentalists”, the top court had said that 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 Thursday, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant extended its earlier stay order for the time being.

It asked all stakeholders to submit their written notes by March 10 after the amicus curiae submitted his suggestions on the aspect of definitions of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing a litigant, said his client’s company had a valid mining license and it had won the right to mine after a protracted battle. But because of the top court’s order mining had been stalled, he said.

“We will allow lawful mining only… let the experts tell us (the definition of Aravalli). We will cross all bridges and reach the right destination,” the CJI said.

Maintaining that it’s conscious of the fact that all activities, especially mining by licensed firms, have also come to a halt, the CJI said, “Such a status quo will have to be maintained for the time being till some preliminary issues are answered in a phased manner. Post this matter… for the constitution of the committee.”

The Bench asked lawyer Jay Cheema to assist it in the hearing of the case, besides senior advocate K Parmeswar who is already assisting it as amicus curiae.