Gurgaon: A Supreme Court-appointed panel has invited public suggestions, representations and documentary evidence on protection of Aravali hills and ranges, with its report due before the court by Aug 31. Petitioners, environmentalists and former forest officials have cautioned that the exercise should strengthen legal protection for the mountain range rather than introduce a new definition that could create ambiguity and weaken conservation. The high-powered committee, constituted through SC’s May 25 order, has been asked to submit its report by Aug 31.The Union environment ministry said stakeholders from Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and other states linked to the Aravali ecosystem may submit suggestions and representations within 21 days through email or a dedicated portal.The consultation is important as the committee’s recommendations could influence future judicial directions on the identification, protection and regulation of the Aravalis. The issue became contentious after an earlier central committee suggested that, for mining regulation, only hills rising more than 100 metres above the surrounding terrain should be treated as part of the Aravalis. Conservationists said such a criterion could exclude large ecologically important areas, especially in Haryana and Delhi.“Neither man nor the legislature can define nature. The Aravalis are already a defined geological formation, just like the Himalayas,” said SS Oberoi, one of the petitioners.Former conservator of forests (south Haryana) RP Balwan, who is also a petitioner, said the Aravalis is defined by its rock formations and stratigraphic sequence. “The presence or absence of hills has nothing to do with whether an area is part of the Aravali,” he said.Former conservator of forests MD Sinha said the committee must focus on conservation. “There is no need to redefine something that has already been identified. If this is done, it could set a precedent for other natural formations, such as Western Ghats and Vindhyas, to be redefined as well. Delhi has already identified the Aravalis based on geomorphology, and there should be one uniform method of identification for all states through which the Aravalis pass,” he said.The Aravalis stretch nearly 700km from Gujarat through Rajasthan and Haryana to Delhi. They act as a natural barrier against the expansion of Thar desert, recharge groundwater aquifers, moderate the regional climate and provide habitat for a wide range of wildlife.In Haryana, the range has suffered decades of degradation due to mining, urban expansion, infrastructure projects and encroachments. This has led to repeated interventions by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. The committee’s report is expected to play a key role in shaping the future legal and policy framework for conservation and development across the Aravali landscape.
