'Unfortunately, Nobody Knows What Aravalli Is', SC Seeks Clarity From Subject Experts Before Mining
CJI Surya Kant remarked that unfortunately, nobody knows what constitutes the Aravalli, stressing the need for clarity before any mining activity could resume.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : February 26, 2026 at 7:02 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday underscored the need to scientifically define the Aravalli range before permitting any mining activity, even as it acknowledged that lawful mining may eventually be allowed under strict conditions.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked that unfortunately, nobody knows what constitutes the Aravalli, stressing the need for clarity before any mining activity could resume.
He added, "Let subject experts tell us whether mining is permissible at all. If they say it can be allowed, then under what conditions. We will monitor those conditions."
The matter came up before a bench led by CJI and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi submitted that he has an application where his client has a mining lease and all permissions, and his client has stopped because of the apex court's order. Rohatgi said his client secured a mining lease after ten years of litigation.
The CJI orally observed, "Rightly stopped." "First, they said I am not in Aravalli, then they said you might be. I am taking a position, I might be,” said Rohatgi.
CJI said, unfortunately, nobody knows what Aravalli is, and added that eventually lawful mining will be permitted, stating, "Construction material people also need, because you cannot stall everything."
"But first, the entire exercise has to be completed. Identification of what is Aravalli. Let the subject experts tell us, mining permissible or not. Can be mining allowed at all. If they say it can be allowed, up to what conditions. We will monitor those conditions", observed the CJI.
The CJI added, "We will cross all bridges, and we will reach the right destination."
The bench said the opinion of the Ministry of Forest and Environment shall be of assistance for purpose of: defining Aravalli, its area, forest cover, the part of the Aravalli where already the cities, towns and villages have been developed for centuries.
The CJI orally remarked that going by the original history the apex court’s building would also be in Aravalli and added, "entire Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, all these would be in Aravalli, but today to say it is Aravalli, it will be misnomer". A counsel said it starts from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The bench asked the Ministry to suggest a panel of domain experts along with their profile and also asked the senior counsel to give profiles of some eminent subject experts for the purpose of constituting the committee, as was observed by it on December 29, 2025.
The bench also extended the interim stay it had imposed earlier on mining activities in the Aravallis. The CJI observed, "We are conscious of the fact that all activities, especially mining for which license/lease was granted have come to a halt. However, such a status quo will have to be maintained for the time being till some preliminary issues are effectively answered in a phased manner after the constitution of the committee."
The apex court directed the listing of the matter for the purpose of constitution of the committee and formulation of the issues that will arise for determination. Senior advocate K Parameshwar, appearing as amicus curiae, also submitted his report in the matter today.
Background
Amid a row over the definition of the Aravalli hills approved by it, the top court had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue titled as 'In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues'.
The apex court on December 29, 2025, amid the outcry over the new definition of Aravalli, had kept in abeyance its November 20, 2025 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges, saying there is a need to resolve "critical ambiguities" including whether the 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills criteria will strip significant portion of the range of environment protection.
In November 2025, the apex court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges and banned the grant of fresh mining leases inside its areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until experts' reports are out.
The top court had accepted the recommendations of a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges. The committee had recommended that "Aravalli Hill" be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief, and an "Aravalli Range" will be a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.
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