New Delhi, 03 June (H.S.): The Supreme Court has constituted a high-level committee to determine and define the geographical and ecological contours of the Aravalli mountain range. A Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant established the five-member panel and directed it to submit a detailed report by August 31.

The committee will be chaired by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Other members of the panel include former Director General of the Forest Survey of India Dr. Subhash Ashutosh, former Director of the Geological Survey of India Dr. Rajendra Kumar Sharma, former Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Brij Mohan Singh Rathore, and former Head of the Department of Botany at University of Delhi Ashok Bhatnagar.

The Court also directed the appointment of two experts as special invitees to assist the committee. These include Professor Jagdish Krishnaswamy of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements and Professor Laxmikant Sharma of Central University of Haryana.

In addition, the Court instructed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to nominate an officer of Director rank to serve as the committee’s Member Secretary.

On February 26, the Supreme Court had observed that it would seek expert opinion on whether mining activities could be permitted in parts of the Aravalli region. The Court had asked the Central Government to suggest names of experts for this purpose.

At that time, the Bench stated that it would seek expert recommendations on whether mining could be allowed in the Aravalli area, and if so, to what extent and under what monitoring mechanism. The Court had also requested lawyers appearing in the matter to propose names of experts for the formation of the committee.

The Court said it would comprehensively evaluate expert opinions on several issues, including the definition of the Aravalli Hills and the Aravalli Range, the implications of the 100-metre elevation criterion, and whether regulated mining could be permitted in areas separated by a 500-metre gap between hill formations without causing environmental degradation.

The Bench also clarified that the stay on its earlier order—under which hills with an elevation of 100 metres or more were to be classified as part of the Aravalli range—would continue to remain in force until further consideration of the matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar