Expert committee gets Centre’s nod to settle Aravalli Hills definition dispute

The Union Environment Ministry has informed the Supreme Court that it has no objection to the constitution of a 10 member expert committee proposed to frame a uniform scientific definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, a move aimed at resolving a long standing environmental dispute.

In an affidavit submitted before the apex court, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) endorsed the names suggested by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for the proposed panel. The ministry said it does not wish to add any additional names and is agreeable if the court constitutes the committee.

The panel is proposed to be headed by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and a 1991 batch Indian Forest Service officer. The committee will include experts from institutions such as the Forest Survey of India, Geological Survey of India and Survey of India, along with academicians and environmental researchers.

The move comes amid a continuing controversy over the official definition of the Aravalli mountain system , which has major implications for environmental protection and mining regulation in the region.

The issue reached the Supreme Court after concerns were raised that a new definition based on parameters such as 100 metre elevation and a 500 metre gap between hills could exclude large portions of the Aravalli range from legal protection. Environmental groups argued that this might open ecologically sensitive areas to mining and construction activities.

The court had earlier accepted the proposed definition in November but later kept the order in abeyance following objections. Mining activities were also temporarily halted in some areas.

Stretching across Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat, the Aravalli hills are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world and play an important ecological role in preventing desertification and supporting biodiversity. The proposed committee is expected to carry out a detailed scientific assessment and help the court arrive at a clearer and widely accepted definition.