Overview
- Hearing the case Friday, the bench said it will not grant any order in favor of mining lease holders and called recent feedback from the region quite disturbing.
- Mining in tracts marked as Aravalli by the Forest Survey of India’s 2010 map still requires prior Supreme Court approval under a May 9, 2024 directive.
- The court earlier asked the environment ministry and stakeholders to propose domain experts, and it plans to constitute its own panel to settle a precise, science-based definition.
- After outcry from scientists and environmental groups, the justices put their November 20, 2025 acceptance of a 100‑metre elevation and 500‑metre gap test on hold on December 29 to avoid stripping protection from large areas.
- The Aravalli range helps recharge groundwater, supports biodiversity, and slows the spread of desert conditions across parts of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, raising the stakes for how its boundaries are drawn.