ARAVALI RANGE: SC RULING, MINING REGULATION & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ARAVALI RANGE: SC RULING, MINING REGULATION & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Why in News?

• In November–December 2025, the Supreme Court of India adopted a uniform and scientific definition of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges to regulate mining activities.
• Following the ruling, the Union Government announced a district-wise demarcation plan for mining regulation in the Aravalli Range.
• The decision triggered public protests, political reactions, and the #SaveAravalli campaign, with concerns that the new definition might weaken ecological protection.

ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

• The Aravalli Range is nearly 2 billion years old, making it India’s oldest mountain system.
• It stretches from Delhi through Haryana and Rajasthan to Gujarat, spanning about 800 km and 37 districts.
• The Aravallis act as a natural barrier against desertification, preventing the eastward spread of the Thar Desert.
• Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu is the highest peak at 1,722 metres.
• It acts as a natural barrier against the eastward spread of the Thar Desert.
• It is a major watershed, dividing drainage between the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal systems.
• The region supports dry deciduous forests, grasslands, wetlands, and rich wildlife, including tigers, leopards, and the Great Indian Bustard.
• It hosts UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Chittorgarh and Kumbhalgarh forts.
• They play a critical role in groundwater recharge, climate regulation, and biodiversity conservation.
• The Supreme Court has repeatedly warned that uncontrolled mining in the Aravallis poses a serious threat to the nation’s ecology.

WHY A UNIFORM DEFINITION WAS NEEDED?

• For decades, only Rajasthan had a formally notified definition for regulating mining in the Aravallis.
• Rajasthan followed a 2002 State Committee Report based on Richard Murphy landform classification, defining hills as landforms rising 100 metres above local relief.
• Other States lacked a common definition, resulting in regulatory ambiguity, weak enforcement, and illegal mining.
• To address this, the Supreme Court directed adoption of a uniform, objective, and science-based definition applicable across all States.

COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED FOR THE DEFINITION

• A committee led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) was constituted under Supreme Court directions.
• The committee included:
  • Forest Secretaries from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat
  • Representatives of the Forest Survey of India,
  • Central Empowered Committee (CEC), and
  • Geological Survey of India (GSI).
• After extensive consultation, all States agreed to adopt the 100-metre above local relief criterion, with additional safeguards.

SC’S FINAL DECISION

• The Supreme Court accepted the committee’s recommendations in full.
• It adopted a uniform operational definition of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges.
• It imposed a temporary freeze on new mining leases.
• It directed preparation of a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) before any future mining expansion.

UNIFORM DEFINITIONS BY SC

A. Aravalli Hills

• Any landform in the Aravalli districts rising 100 metres or more above local relief is defined as an Aravalli Hill.
• Local relief is measured using the lowest contour line encircling the landform.
• Protection covers the entire hill system, including:
  • The hill peak
  • Supporting slopes
  • Associated landforms, irrespective of gradient

B. Aravalli Ranges

• Two or more Aravalli Hills within 500 metres of each other constitute an Aravalli Range.
• The entire area between such hills, including slopes, valleys, and smaller hillocks, is included.
• All landforms within this 500-metre zone are excluded from mining, regardless of height.

These definitions are ecological safeguards, not merely technical criteria

WHY THIS DEFINITION STRENGTHENS PROTECTION?

• It ensures comprehensive protection of entire landforms, preventing piecemeal mining of slopes and foothills.
• It adopts a cluster-based approach, protecting ecological connectivity and wildlife corridors.
• It mandates mapping on Survey of India toposheets, making boundaries objective and enforceable.
• It closes loopholes that earlier allowed mining below 100 metres in ecologically sensitive zones.

SC DIRECTION ON MINING

• No new mining leases can be granted until a landscape-wide plan is finalised.
• Existing legal mines may continue only under strict compliance with environmental norms.
• Mining is absolutely prohibited in core and inviolate areas, except for narrowly defined strategic minerals.
• The Court rejected blanket bans, noting that they often encourage illegal mining, and instead adopted a calibrated regulatory approach.

MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE MINING

• The Court directed MoEF&CC to prepare an MPSM through the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
• The MPSM must:
  • Treat the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge from Gujarat to Delhi.
  • Identify no-mining zones and regulated mining zones.
  • Map ecologically sensitive areas and wildlife corridors.
  • Assess cumulative environmental impacts and ecological carrying capacity.
  • Include post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures.
• Until the MPSM is finalised, the moratorium on new mining leases remains in force.

PROTECTION OF CORE/INVIOLATE AREAS

Mining is strictly prohibited in:

• Protected Areas, Tiger Reserves, and Wildlife Corridors
• Eco-Sensitive Zones and Eco-Sensitive Areas
• Wetlands and Ramsar sites (with 500 m buffer)
• CAMPA plantations and conservation investment areas
• Within 1 km of Protected Area boundaries

Limited exceptions apply only for:

• Atomic minerals
• Critical and strategic minerals
• Minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957

GOVERNMENT’S STAND

• The Union Government clarified that the framework does not dilute protection of the Aravallis.
• It emphasised that illegal mining, not legal mining, is the main threat.
• Enforcement will be strengthened using drones, satellite imagery, CCTV, weighbridges, and district task forces.
• Only 237 sq km out of 147,000 sq km of the Aravalli landscape is eligible for mining.

CRITICISMS & CONCERN

• Critics argue that the 100-metre threshold excludes large portions of the Aravalli landscape.
• The definition is seen as peak-centric, potentially overlooking ecological roles of lower hills and valleys.
• There are fears of groundwater depletion, desertification, and urban expansion, especially around Delhi-NCR.
• Effective protection depends on accurate mapping, strict enforcement, and timely preparation of the MPSM.

RESTORATION & LONG TERM CONSERVATION

• The Aravalli Green Wall Initiative aims at landscape-level ecological restoration.
• It proposes a 1,400 km long and 5 km wide green belt across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
• The goal is to restore over 1.1 million hectares of degraded land by 2027.
• Traditional water systems such as johads and taankas are being promoted for watershed revival.

CONCLUSION

• The Supreme Court’s intervention has created a scientific, transparent, and enforceable framework for Aravalli protection.
• Contrary to alarmist claims, the ruling strengthens ecological safeguards, freezes new mining, and prioritises restoration
• The real test lies in implementation, enforcement, and landscape-level planning.
• The future of north-west India’s water security, climate resilience, and biodiversity depends on how effectively this framework is executed.

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