The Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance the directions issued in its November 20 verdict that had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, citing the need for further clarification on certain aspects of the issue.
A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih said it proposed to constitute a high-powered committee of domain experts to carry out an exhaustive and holistic examination of the matter.
Hearing a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues', the bench directed that the earlier directions should remain suspended for the time being.
“We deem it necessary to direct that the recommendations submitted by the committee, together with the findings and directions stipulated by this court in the judgment of November 20, 2025, be kept in abeyance,” the bench said.
The top court observed that certain issues would require clarification and accordingly issued notice to the Centre and other stakeholders in the suo motu proceedings. The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 21.
In its November 20 judgment, the Supreme Court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and imposed a ban on the grant of fresh mining leases within the Aravalli areas spread across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until expert reports were submitted.
The court had endorsed the recommendations of a committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change aimed at protecting the world’s oldest mountain system.
As per the committee’s recommendations, an “Aravalli Hill” was defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts having an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief, while an “Aravalli Range” was described as a collection of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.
Elaborating on the definition, the committee had stated, “Any landform located in the Aravalli districts, having an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief, shall be termed as Aravalli Hills... The entire landform lying within the area enclosed by such lowest contour, whether actual or extended notionally, together with the Hill, its supporting slopes and associated landforms irrespective of their gradient, shall be deemed to constitute part of the Aravalli Hills.”
On the Aravalli Range, the panel said, “Two or more Aravalli Hills ..., located within a proximity of 500m from each other, measured from the outermost point on the boundary of the lowest contour line on either side, form the Aravalli Range.”
Further clarifying the scope of the range, the committee had added, “The area between the two Aravalli hills is determined by first creating buffers with a width equal to the minimum distance between the lowest contour lines of both hills ... The entire area of landforms falling between the lowest contour lines of these hills, as explained, along with associated features such as Hills, Hillocks, supporting slopes, etc., shall also be included as part of the Aravalli Range.”
The November 20 verdict, running into 29 pages, was delivered in the suo motu matter arising from long-running environmental litigation in the T N Godavarman Thirumulpad case.
Accepting the committee’s findings, the apex court had said, “We further accept the recommendations with regard to the prohibition of mining in core/inviolate areas with exception as carved out of the ... committee's report.”
It had also approved recommendations relating to sustainable mining practices and measures to prevent illegal mining in the Aravalli hills and ranges.