Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Aravalli Range Definition Issue
SC hears suo motu case on hill range definition today.
The Supreme Court of India is set to hear a suo motu case on December 29, 2025, regarding the critical definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges. A special three-judge vacation bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice J K Maheshwari, and Justice Augustine George Masih, will examine ancillary issues to establish a broader perspective on the matter.
The hearing follows public and environmentalist concerns over potential implications of a revised operational definition accepted in a November 20 judgment. That verdict, delivered by a bench led by then Chief Justice BR Gavai, endorsed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change committee's scientific criteria while imposing a ban on new mining leases across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat pending final expert reports.
The court underscored the Aravalli range's vital ecological role as one of the world's oldest mountain systems, serving as a natural barrier against desertification from the north, supporting biodiversity, and facilitating groundwater recharge. Uncontrolled mining was described as a grave threat to national ecology, prompting directives for uniform protective measures and conservation priorities.
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Existing mining operations are permitted only under strict compliance, with the court mandating a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining before any fresh activities. The Aravallis span multiple states, historically recognised across 37 districts for their contributions to environmental stability, cultural heritage, and sustainable development.
The suo motu cognisance reflects apprehensions that alterations in the definition could enable unregulated mining, adversely affecting groundwater levels and fragile ecosystems. Environmentalists and civil society have highlighted risks of biodiversity loss, prompting the apex court's intervention to address these pressing concerns decisively.
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