The Aravalli story highlights a major environmental battle after the Supreme Court stayed its November 20 order redefining the hills. The pause came after strong public and scientific pressure, reflecting growing concern over mining, ecology, and North India’s fragile environmental future.
In response to the extensive protests regarding its November 20 order, which redefined the Aravalli Hills as only those landforms rising 100 meters or more above the local terrain, with related hills grouped within 500 meters of each other, the Supreme Court conducted a suo motu review of its previous decision on December 29.
The court placed the earlier order on hold and stated that its prior comments were being misinterpreted. It also mandated the formation of an independent committee to reassess its ruling.
The court stated that its order from November 20 concerning the Aravallis will remain suspended until the next hearing date.
Further proceedings on this matter are scheduled for January 21, 2026.
The Aravalli Hills, recognized as one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and a crucial ecological zone supporting biodiversity, groundwater recharge, and climate regulation across northern India, is currently embroiled in a legal and political controversy due to a revised government definition.
As one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, formed over 2.5 billion years ago, the Aravalli range is projected to lose over 16,360 square kilometers of forest to human expansion by 2059, a warning issued by researchers long before this latest controversy arose.
However, environmentalists and scientists have raised significant concerns following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of this definition on November 20. The revised operational criteria state that only landforms rising at least 100 meters above the surrounding terrain are considered part of the Aravalli Hills.
Consequently, around 91 percent of the terrain may be vulnerable to mining activities, which could have severe environmental repercussions, exacerbating air pollution in a national capital already struggling with toxic smog.
While the government disputes the 91 percent figure reportedly derived from a study by the Forest Survey of India it has not provided an alternative estimate. Thus, the exact percentage of the hills that could be opened for mining under the new definition remains unknown.
Currently, the enforcement of this definition is paused. The Supreme Court has issued a stay on its November 20 order, responding to ongoing pressure from the public and the scientific community. A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant stated,
“We deem it necessary that the recommendations of the committee and directions of this court be kept in abeyance,”
Additionally, called for a new committee to re-evaluate the definition of the mountain range.
The challenge lies in balancing the protection of the Aravalli Hills a vital ecological barrier that could potentially transform Delhi into a desert if compromised with the need for controlled and sustainable mining operations to extract essential minerals such as copper, silver, gold, thorium, tungsten, lithium, and rare-earth elements, which have various industrial applications.
Concerns about the future of the Aravalli are not new; the Supreme Court has frequently intervened in recent decades to advocate for a ‘sustainable mining plan.’
This call was echoed last month when the court temporarily halted the issuance of new mining licenses pending the development of such a plan.
Part of this sustainable mining initiative aims to standardize the definition of the Aravalli across all states, clarifying where mining can and cannot take place.
Nevertheless, the reality in India can often diverge from intentions.
Here, the issue extends beyond just ‘illegal’ mining. For instance, licensed mining has flattened hills in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani districts over the past decade, resulting in water shortages in Mahendragarh.
In Rajasthan, which contains 80 percent of the range, and Gujarat, mining activities damage groundwater and deplete rivers like the Sota Ravi and Kasavati, leaving behind ‘white hills’ of waste that devastate vegetation and ruin the environment.
There is also a broader concern regarding the enforcement of environmental safety regulations necessary to mitigate the adverse effects of mining.
This requires a commitment from authorities, as well as financial and temporal resources to enforce the laws and ensure accountability for violators, many of whom evade consequences through corruption.
Rural communities experience significant hardships due to mining; activist Neelam Ahluwalia recounted incidents where a blasting accident severely injured a 7-year-old boy and caused a 14-year-old to lose fingers after mistaking detonators for berries.
Additionally, issues like silicosis, skin diseases, and diminished crop yields due to dust have become widespread among agricultural communities along the 692 km stretch.
The opposition has openly criticized the government’s actions.
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