Overview
- A three-judge vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, with Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, will hear the case on December 29 listed as In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues.
- In a November 20 order, the court adopted a uniform test defining a hill as at least 100 metres above local relief and a range as two or more such hills within 500 metres, while halting new mining leases until a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining is finalised by MoEF&CC and ICFRE.
- Government follow-through is underway, including mapping and a December 11 environment ministry directive for a single joint survey by revenue, forest and mining departments to speed lease processing, a move experts say could dilute safeguards.
- The environment ministry contends the framework protects over 90% of the range and allows mining on less than 0.2% of landforms while enforcing a ban on new leases, but scientists and activists warn most lower ridges would fall outside protection, citing analyses that only about 8.7% exceed 100 metres.
- Ramon Magsaysay awardee Rajendra Singh urged the Chief Justice to reconsider the definition, warning of risks to groundwater and dust barriers near Delhi, while public protests and political questions have intensified calls for a relook.