The Supreme Court has constituted a five-member high-powered committee (HPC) to arrive at a uniform definition of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli range, a move aimed at guiding future decisions on mining and environmental protection in the region.
The committee has been directed to submit a comprehensive report by August 31, according to an order passed on May 25 by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The order was made public on Tuesday night.
The panel will be chaired by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), who will serve as the ex-officio chairperson.
The other members are 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 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Professor Ashok K Bhatnagar, former head of the Department of Botany at Delhi University.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will nominate an officer of the rank of Director to serve as the committee's member secretary.
In its order, the top court stressed that any future course of action concerning the Aravallis must be informed, scientifically sound, and aligned with the principles of environmental protection and sustainable development.
The court also directed the committee to take into account the "varied and competing considerations" involved in the matter and engage with all stakeholders during its assessment. These include the governments of Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana, environmental groups, non-governmental organisations, mining lease holders, project proponents, villagers, farmers and local communities dependent on the Aravalli ecosystem for their livelihoods.
"The proposed Committee would be expected to objectively assess the implications of the measures contemplated and assist this Court in determining whether their implementation may give rise to ecological, environmental, or other consequences that may subsequently prove difficult, if not impossible, to reverse," the order said.
Pending the committee's report and the court's consideration of its findings, the Supreme Court has continued its stay on mining activities across the entire Aravalli region.
The matter is scheduled to be heard next on September 7.
Debate On Definition Of Aravalli Range
The Aravalli range, among the world's oldest mountain systems, stretches across several northern states and plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance, groundwater recharge and protection against desertification.
The Supreme Court on November 20 last year adopted a uniform definition of Aravalli hills and ranges, saying only landforms rising 100 meters or more above local terrain now qualify as "Aravalli."
Environmentalists warned that this could strip protections from up to 90 per cent of the range, exposig it to mining threats and real estate grabs.
After the outcry, the top court on December 29 put a stay on its order, saying there is a need to resolve "critical ambiguities" including whether the 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills criteria will strip significant portion of the range of environment protection.
