The Supreme Court said a proposed committee to define Aravalli hill boundaries should include subject matter experts and relevant stakeholders, directing the Aravalli panel to engage specialists in its work.
Aravalli demarcation disputes affect mining bans, real estate development, and groundwater recharge across Rajasthan, Haryana, and adjoining National Capital Region districts.
Earlier court orders sought to curb illegal quarrying that degraded hills protecting Delhi from desertification and dust storms during dry seasons.
Stakeholder engagement must cover forest departments, geologists, local panchayats, and industries that argue precise boundaries determine lawful extraction rights.
Expert inclusion aims to prevent purely bureaucratic line drawing that litigation parties later challenge with competing satellite imagery interpretations.
Environmental activists want continuous hills treated as a single eco-sensitive zone, while builders press for exclusions around urban peripheries.
The panel’s recommendations will inform enforcement agencies conducting demolition drives against encroachments on protected slopes.
Hydrology studies link intact Aravalli corridors to aquifer recharge that sustains millions of NCR residents during summer shortfalls.
Court monitoring ensures the committee meets deadlines rather than prolonging ambiguity that encourages speculative land banking.
Final boundary notifications will likely trigger fresh legal challenges from mining lease holders and township developers affected by redrawn maps.
Officials and analysts continue to monitor developments tied to this story as further statements and data releases are expected in the coming days.
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Sources:
https://www.business-standard.com/india-news