The long-simmering controversy surrounding the redefinition of the Aravalli hills is set to come under judicial scrutiny once again, as the Supreme Court takes up the matter for an important hearing on Monday. The apex court has taken suo motu cognisance of concerns raised over the new classification of the Aravalli hill system, amid fears that it could weaken environmental safeguards and open the door to increased mining activity.
A vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, and comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Augustine George Masih, will hear the case.
On November 20, the Supreme Court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and mountain ranges and imposed an interim ban on the grant of new mining leases across Aravalli regions spread over Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, until expert reports are examined.
What Is the Controversy?
The dispute stems from recommendations made by a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. As per the new definition:
- An “Aravalli hill” is any landform in identified Aravalli districts with a height of 100 metres or more from the local lowest point.
- An “Aravalli mountain range” is defined as a cluster of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.
Environmentalists and opposition leaders argue that this definition excludes several smaller hill formations that play a crucial ecological role, thereby weakening protection for the ancient mountain system.
Jairam Ramesh Raises Alarm
On the eve of the Supreme Court hearing, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, posing four pointed questions and seeking clarity on the scientific basis of the new definition.
Ramesh cited assessments by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) and views expressed by a member of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), warning that the revised criteria could compromise the geographical and ecological integrity of the Aravalli range.
He recalled that since 2012, Rajasthan has relied on the FSI’s August 28, 2010 report, which defined Aravalli hills more comprehensively. That definition included areas with slopes of three degrees or more, added a 100-metre buffer along slopes, and treated plains, valleys and depressions as integral parts of hill systems.
Conflicting Claims
The Environment Ministry has maintained that the new definition would affect only about 0.2% of the Aravalli region in terms of mining. However, the Forest Survey of India reportedly contradicted this claim in a communication dated December 23, stating that nearly 90% of hill formations could become vulnerable under the revised criteria.
Ramesh further referred to an FSI letter dated September 20, 2025, which highlighted the role of smaller Aravalli hill structures as natural barriers against desertification. These formations help arrest sand movement and protect Delhi and adjoining plains from dust storms.
He also pointed to a Central Empowered Committee report dated November 7, 2025, which found that 164 mining leases in Rajasthan were located within Aravalli hills and ranges under the earlier FSI definition.
What’s at Stake
Opposition leaders and environmental experts fear that enforcing the new definition could exclude numerous smaller hills and landforms from legal protection, causing irreversible damage to the Aravalli range spread across four states.
With ecological balance, mining regulation and environmental governance at the centre of the debate, today’s Supreme Court hearing is expected to play a decisive role in determining whether the controversy over the Aravalli hills will move towards resolution—or deepen further.
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