Supreme Court Constitutes High-Powered Panel to Define Aravalli Range Amid Mining Row

The Supreme Court has constituted a five-member high-powered committee to develop a uniform definition of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli mountain range, a move expected to influence future decisions on mining and environmental protection across northern India.

The committee will be chaired by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. The panel has been directed to submit its comprehensive report by August 31. The order was issued by a bench headed by Surya Kant and made public on Tuesday.

Other members of the committee include Dr. Subhash Ashutosh, former Director General of the Forest Survey of India; Dr. Rajendra Kumar Sharma, former Director of the Geological Survey of India; Brij Mohan Singh Rathore, former Joint Secretary in the Environment Ministry; and Professor Ashok K. Bhatnagar, former head of the Botany Department at the University of Delhi.

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The Supreme Court said any future action concerning the Aravalli range must be scientifically informed and aligned with environmental protection and sustainable development principles. The panel has been asked to consult state governments, environmental groups, mining leaseholders, farmers, villagers, and other stakeholders dependent on the Aravalli ecosystem.

Pending the committee’s findings, the court has continued its stay on mining activities across the Aravalli region. The matter will next be heard on September 7. Environmentalists have closely followed the issue since the court’s earlier attempt to define the Aravallis using elevation-based criteria sparked concerns that large portions of the mountain range could lose environmental protection.

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