Aravalli Hills SC Hearing: The Supreme Court has taken suo motu related to mining in the Aravalli Hills today. The court has expressed serious concern regarding the definition of the Aravalli range and has sought answers from the Centre on several technical questions. The court said that an impartial and independent review is necessary before implementing the November 20 order. For this, a high-powered committee of domain experts will be constituted, which will examine issues such as the environmental impact of mining, the limitations of the definition, and the continuity of conservation.
The next hearing will be on January 21, 2026. Also Read: Congress is an ideology and ideologies never die, says Mallikarjun Kharge Former Forest Conservation Officer R P Balwan has also filed a petition in this regard. The court's intervention has raised hopes for positive change among environmentalists. The case will be heard by a three-judge bench headed by CJI Suryakant.
SC expresses concern over definition, directs formation of High-Powered Expert Committee
The Supreme Court has clarified that the November 20 order related to the Aravalli hills will not be implemented until the next hearing. The court has fixed January 21, 2026, as the date for the next hearing. Until then, the status quo will be maintained, and all important aspects will be considered in detail.
CJI raises questions on November 20 order, says clarification necessary
During the hearing of the Aravalli case, the Chief Justice said that some consequential observations of the court are being misrepresented, which requires clarification. The CJI said that a fair and robust report is mandatory before implementing the November 20 order. They highlighted the need to resolve serious ambiguities regarding the definition of the Aravalli hills and range, the criteria for areas more than 500 meters apart, and the restrictions or permissions for mining and its scope.
SC emphasizes the role of experts in the mining plan
During the hearing of the Aravalli case, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the issue needs to be looked at holistically and that the report of the expert committee constituted by the court has been accepted. The Supreme Court clarified that a concrete mining plan will be prepared by experts, which will be implemented only after the court's approval. This process will also include public consultation. The CJI appreciated this initiative.
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The central government clarified the questions being raised regarding the new definition of the Aravalli hills. On December 24, the Union Environment Minister said that 99% of the Aravalli range is still protected and calling it a "death warrant" is wrong. He argued that the new definition includes not only the peaks but also the slopes and base of the hills under protection. According to the government, even under strict conditions, only 0.19% of the area might potentially be eligible for mining.
Increased concern over the new definition of 'hill'
The controversy surrounding the Aravalli Hills intensified at the end of 2025. The case is now not just about mining, but about what the definition of a "hill" should be.
Supreme Court Intervenes In Aravalli Row
On November 20, 2025, the Supreme Court accepted a new uniform definition, according to which only those landforms in an area will be considered Aravalli hills whose height is at least 100 meters more than the surrounding land. It was also stated that only groups of such hills located within 500 meters of each other would be considered the Aravalli range.
Summary
Environmental experts say that this definition could exclude about 90 percent of the smaller hills in the Aravalli region from legal protection. This would mean that the Forest Conservation Act would not apply to thousands of hilly areas, potentially opening the way for mining and other activities. This is why environmentalists are deeply concerned about this decision.