High-Powered expert panel to reassess definition of Aravalli Hills

The Supreme Court has constituted a high-powered expert committee to conduct an independent review of the Centre’s report on the definition and delineation of the Aravalli hill range. The committee will be headed by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. The panel has been asked to submit its report by August 31 this year. 
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi passed the order in the suo motu proceedings concerning the definition of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges. The Committee has also been tasked with examining concerns that only 1,048 out of 12,081 hills in Rajasthan meet the prescribed 100-metre elevation threshold and whether this leaves a large number of hill formations without environmental protection.
The apex court said an impartial and scientific assessment is needed to address key issues related to the protection of the Aravalli ecosystem. The court had earlier stayed the implementation of an Environment Ministry report submitted in October last year and called for a fresh review by independent experts.  
The committee will examine whether the proposed criteria for identifying Aravalli hills could significantly reduce the area under environmental protection and allow mining or other activities in ecologically sensitive regions. It will also assess the scientific basis of the elevation criteria used in the report and evaluate whether existing regulatory mechanisms are adequate for protecting the Aravalli range. The panel includes experts from forestry, geology, environment and ecology.
Noting that the issues involved affect a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including the governments of Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana, environmental groups, mining lease holders, farmers, mine workers and local communities, the Court directed the Committee to issue a public notice inviting representations and suggestions from all interested persons and entities.