Supreme Court Panel Rejects Single Criterion for Aravalli Definition; Seeks Extension

A High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the Supreme Court has informed the court that the Aravalli hills and ranges cannot be scientifically defined using a single terrain or height based yardstick. In a compliance report submitted on August 31, the panel proposed an ecosystem based framework that considers biodiversity, water systems, forests, and livelihoods rather than treating the range as a mere collection of individual hills. The committee has requested a six month extension, until February 28, 2027, to complete a transparent and scientifically defensible assessment.

The current dispute follows a previous October 2025 report from a Union environment ministry panel that recommended a 100 metre height threshold. The Supreme Court put the implementation of that report on hold in December 2025. According to a center leaning source, the 100 metre benchmark was criticized for ignoring warnings from the Forest Survey of India that such a limit would exclude nearly 90 percent of the Aravalli hills. A left leaning source noted that the adoption of the 100 metre definition led to widespread protests, particularly in Rajasthan, amid fears that a narrow definition could facilitate unregulated mining and environmental degradation.

The HPC is now comparing the 2025 methodology with a 2010 approach developed by the Forest Survey of India. The panel has already demonstrated the feasibility of this comparative exercise in the districts of Alwar, Ajmer, and Udaipur. To ensure accuracy, the committee intends to use the Copernicus 30 metre digital elevation model and seek validation from the Indian Space Research Organisation and the National Remote Sensing Centre. The final framework will integrate core hill systems with protected areas, sacred sites, groundwater recharge zones, and traditional pastures to guide conservation and management measures.