The Supreme Court of India has taken a very important step to protect the Aravalli mountains. On Thursday, the court ordered the central government to create a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli range. The Aravalli hills stretch across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Until this detailed plan is ready, the court has stopped all states from giving any new mining leases in these areas.
This decision comes because illegal and uncontrolled mining has been happening for many years, especially in Rajasthan and Haryana. Experts have warned that if mining continues in this manner, the ancient Aravalli mountains may be destroyed. These mountains are millions of years old and are extremely important for the environment, climate, and groundwater of North India.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R. Gavai said that mining can only continue in existing legal mines, but no new mines can be approved until the new plan is ready. The bench also included justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which advises the court on environmental issues, explained that different states use different definitions to identify the Aravalli hills. Because of these variations, mining companies and other groups take advantage of the confusion and set up mining activities even in areas that should be protected.
To solve this problem, the committee suggested one clear definition for the entire Aravalli range. According to the committee:
Any landform in an Aravalli district with an elevation of 100 metres or more from the lowest contour line is considered part of the Aravalli hills.
This measurement will be done from the highest point on the slope to the lowest contour mark.
All land within this area, including slopes, supporting landforms and other connected features, will be treated as part of the Aravalli hills.
The committee also defined the “Aravalli Range” as a set of two or more Aravalli hills located within 500 metres of each other. This clear definition will help authorities understand exactly which areas must be protected from mining.
The Supreme Court accepted these definitions without any changes. The court said these uniform rules will prevent confusion and stop illegal mining by clearly marking which areas are part of the Aravallis.
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The Supreme Court also adopted the committee’s recommendation that mining should be strictly prohibited in core or inviolate areas of the Aravallis. These are places that are ecologically sensitive and must not be disturbed. The court said that the new Sustainable Mining Plan must include:
A list of areas where mining can be allowed under strict rules
Areas where mining must be completely banned
Areas where mining may be allowed only in special situations
Steps to restore the environment in mined areas
A study of the environmental impact of mining in each region
An analysis of how much mining the land can safely tolerate
The court said that until this plan is ready, all new mining leases must stay on hold, except for mining of critical, strategic or atomic minerals, which are essential for national needs.
The court was careful not to order a full ban on all mining, because many industries depend on minerals. It allowed existing mines to continue operating legally. But once the new plan is completed, even these mines will have to follow the rules set by the plan.
The court also said the Aravalli mountains act as a “green barrier” that protects North India from desertification. They help maintain rainfall patterns, support wildlife, protect groundwater, and control air pollution. Many tiger reserves, sanctuaries, wetlands and aquifers are located in this landscape. Because of these reasons, the region must be preserved carefully.
The Centre told the court that it has already started the “Aravalli Green Wall Project”. This project aims to increase green cover, stop desertification, and restore damaged land in the Aravallis.
Senior advocate K. Parmeshwar, who assisted the court, reminded the bench that the government must also calculate how long the mineral reserves in the Aravallis will last. Without this, planning for the next 20 years will be difficult.
However, the state of Haryana disagreed with the committee’s definition. It said that the age of the rocks should also be considered and not just the height. Rajasthan and Delhi, on the other hand, agreed with the proposed definition.
Earlier, in 2002, the Supreme Court had banned mining across the entire Aravalli region. But despite this, illegal mining continued on a large scale. A 2018 report by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) said that almost 31 hilltops had completely disappeared because of illegal mining in Rajasthan and Haryana. More than 3,000 sites were affected by illegal activities. Both the CEC and FSI said that the new definition should include a 100-metre buffer zone around the hills to protect them.
With this new order, the Supreme Court has taken a major step toward saving the ancient Aravalli range. The sustainable mining plan, once prepared, will guide all future decisions and help protect this important ecological area for generations to come.
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