Top Court Pauses Its Judgment on Aravalis

Context:

• The Supreme Court of India has paused its November judgment concerning the definition of the Aravali mountain range after widespread concerns were raised about its environmental implications.

• The pause reflects judicial caution over the possibility that a restrictive definition could lead to ecological degradation, particularly through unregulated mining in sensitive zones.

Key Highlights:

Judicial Intervention and Review:

• The Court has proposed the constitution of a panel of experts to undertake a multi-temporal evaluation of environmental impacts arising from the definition.

• It has sought clarity on whether the earlier definition expanded ‘non-Aravali’ areas, thereby weakening environmental safeguards.

Environmental Concerns:

• The restrictive definition sparked fears of unbridled mining activities in regions excluded from the officially demarcated Aravali range.

• The Court stressed that the definition must be nuanced, balanced, and scientifically robust, ensuring protection of the entire ecologically contiguous terrain.

Ecological Significance of the Aravalis:

• The Aravali range functions as a green barrier against the eastward spread of the Thar Desert.

• Plays a crucial role in reducing air pollution and regulating climate in Delhi-NCR and adjoining regions.

• Supports biodiversity, groundwater recharge, and ecological stability in northwestern India.

Scientific Basis for Definition:

• The Court emphasised that demarcation must rely on exhaustive geological, geomorphological, and ecological assessments, rather than narrow administrative criteria.

• A fragmented approach could undermine ecosystem-level protection.

Relevant Prelims Points:

• Aravali Range:

  • One of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.

  • Extends ~692 km, from Delhi → Haryana → Rajasthan → Gujarat.

• Issue: Restrictive legal definition of Aravalis.

• Causes:

  • Ambiguous geological boundaries

  • Administrative demarcation ignoring ecological continuity

• Impact:

  • Increased mining risk

  • Loss of forest cover

  • Desertification and air pollution

• Government/Judicial Action:

  • Suo motu judicial review

  • Proposal for expert-led scientific reassessment

Relevant Mains Points:

• Facts & Definitions:

  • Ecological Integrity: Capacity of an ecosystem to maintain natural processes and biodiversity.

  • Suo Motu: Court initiating proceedings on its own motion.

• Conceptual Clarity:

  • Environmental governance requires landscape-level conservation, not fragmented protection.

  • Judicial definitions must align with scientific realities.

• Concerns:

  • Legal loopholes enabling environmental exploitation

  • Weak enforcement of mining regulations

• Way Forward:

  • Adopt scientific, ecosystem-based definitions

  • Integrate geological, ecological, and hydrological data

  • Strengthen coordination between courts, governments, and environmental regulators

UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):

• GS 1: Physical Geography of India – Mountain Systems

• GS 3: Environment & Ecology, Conservation, Mining Regulations

• Prelims: Location, role, and ecological importance of the Aravalis