Haryana – The Supreme Court‘s decision regarding the Aravallis order stay on Monday drew widespread acclaim from political leaders across party lines and environmental activists. The top court put in abeyance its November 20 judgment that had narrowed the definition of the Aravalli range, providing temporary relief to conservationists who had raised serious concerns about the ecological implications of the earlier ruling. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav welcomed the Aravallis order stay and pledged complete assistance for the protection and restoration of the ancient mountain range.
The Aravallis order stay addresses a contentious issue that had sparked significant controversy in environmental and political circles. The November 20 judgment had accepted an expert committee’s recommendation to define the Aravallis purely on an elevation-based criterion, which environmental experts argued would exclude large tracts of ecologically significant terrain from protection.
Technical Details of the Modified Definition
Under the definition that the Aravallis order stay has now suspended, only landforms rising at least 100 meters above the local relief would qualify as Aravalli hills. This measurement was to be taken from the lowest contour encircling the landform to its peak. Environmental experts and conservationists had flagged serious concerns with this new definition, pointing out that it excluded large tracts of smaller hills, ridges, and undulating terrain from the continuous geological and ecological system of the Aravallis.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices JK Maheshwari and AG Masih heard the matter suo motu and proposed the constitution of a high-powered expert committee. This committee will assess concerns relating to the height-based definition, ecological continuity, and permissible mining in the region.
Government’s Response to Aravallis Order Stay
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav publicly welcomed the Aravallis order stay through a post on social media platform X. He stated his commitment to extending all assistance sought from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the protection and restoration of the Aravalli range. Yadav clarified that as things currently stand, a complete ban on mining remains in effect regarding new mining leases or renewal of old mining leases.
The minister’s supportive stance on the Aravallis order stay represents the government’s official position on the matter, though opposition parties have questioned the consistency of this approach given the ministry’s earlier support for the redefinition.
Opposition Demands and Political Reactions
While welcoming the Aravallis order stay, opposition parties launched sharp criticism of the government’s environmental policies. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, a former environment minister, described the Supreme Court directive as giving a “flicker of hope” in efforts to protect the Aravallis. The Indian National Congress welcomed the directives, characterizing the redefinition effort as being pushed through by the Modi Government.
Ramesh emphasized that the issue required detailed study, noting that the new definition had been opposed by the Forest Survey of India, the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court, and the amicus curiae himself. He warned that despite the Aravallis order stay providing temporary respite, sustained resistance would be necessary to save the Aravallis from what he termed “machinations” to open the range up to mining, real estate, and other activities.
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Most significantly, Ramesh demanded that Minister Yadav resign immediately, arguing that the Aravallis order stay represented “a rejection of all the arguments he has been giving in favour of the redefinition.” This call for resignation underscores the political dimensions of the environmental controversy.
Regional Political Leaders Join Chorus
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also hailed the Aravallis order stay, though he cautioned that the relief, while substantial, must be made permanent. Thackeray expressed hope for bringing the strongest protection to the Aravalli range and to nature across the country. He warned against falling prey to misinformation campaigns suggesting the Aravalli range is safe, emphasizing that it remains threatened by the government’s intent to redefine and potentially commercialize it.
Environmental Experts’ Perspectives
Environmental experts provided crucial technical context for understanding the significance of the Aravallis order stay. RP Balwan, a former Indian Forest Services officer who moved a review petition against the November 20 order, called the Aravallis order stay a welcome step. He argued that ecosystem fragmentation based on vertical limits in the highly fragile Aravalli ecosystem would lead to its destruction, warning that once biodiversity is lost, it cannot be revived due to prevalent harsh environmental factors.
Balwan emphasized that the Aravallis require no new definition, as they are already well-defined in geology as stratigraphic succession, with every Aravalli rock unit clearly identified along with its structures.
Focus Shifts to Expert Committee Formation
Forest analyst Chetan Agarwal noted that following the Aravallis order stay, focus now shifts toward the constitution and terms of reference of the high-powered expert committee proposed by the Supreme Court. He expressed hope that the new committee would view the Aravallis as an ecological entity—a living, breathing habitat providing remaining forest cover, wildlife habitat, air pollution moderation, and groundwater recharge enhancement—while functioning transparently with wide consultations.
Controversy Over December Meeting
The controversy surrounding the Aravallis order stay intensified after the Union environment ministry convened a meeting on December 8 to initiate groundwork for delineating Aravalli areas according to the November 20 definition. This exercise was intended to serve as the baseline for the Management Plan for Sustainable Mining for the entire Aravalli range through the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. The delineation process is now expected to be paused until the Supreme Court settles the definition issue conclusively.
