Supreme Court-Appointed Aravalli Panel Invites Public Feedback, Opens 21-Day Consultation Window
A High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the Supreme Court to examine issues relating to the Aravalli Hills and Ranges has invited suggestions, representations and documentary inputs from the public, opening a 21-day consultation window. The initiative is aimed at ensuring broad stakeholder participation before the committee submits its comprehensive report to the Supreme Court by 31 August 2026.
The committee was constituted by the Supreme Court through its order dated 25 May 2026 in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 10 of 2025. The Court tasked the panel with conducting an independent and comprehensive review of issues concerning the definition, demarcation and protection of the Aravalli hill range after expressing concern over ambiguities in an earlier expert report and the potential environmental consequences of an inaccurate classification.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the committee has invited responses from a wide range of stakeholders, including the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, environmentalists, conservationists, non-profit organisations, mining lease holders, project proponents, villagers, farmers, mine workers, local communities and any other individuals or entities with a legitimate interest in the preservation and management of the Aravalli ecosystem. The committee has encouraged participants to support their submissions with documentary evidence or other verifiable material.
The consultation process comes against the backdrop of an ongoing legal and environmental debate over the proper definition of the Aravalli Hills. Earlier, the Supreme Court had kept in abeyance portions of its previous directions after concerns were raised that the proposed definition could create ambiguities and potentially weaken environmental safeguards. The Court therefore decided that an independent expert body should reassess the issue before any final determination is made.
Environmental groups and former forest officials have welcomed the opportunity for public participation, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening legal protection for one of India’s oldest mountain ranges. At the same time, they have cautioned that any revised definition should not dilute existing conservation measures or create loopholes that could facilitate illegal mining and unregulated development in ecologically sensitive areas.
The committee will consider the representations received during the 21-day period before preparing its final report for the Supreme Court. The Court’s eventual decision is expected to have far-reaching implications for environmental governance, mining regulation, land-use planning and biodiversity conservation across the Aravalli region, which stretches through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
