The Supreme Court of India has put on hold its November 20 judgment that accepted a “100‑metre height above local relief” benchmark to define what constitutes the Aravalli Hills, a move that had triggered widespread concern among environmentalists and planners. A three‑judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the earlier order will remain stayed while a new high‑powered expert committee re‑examines the scientific basis and ecological impact of the definition.

Why The Earlier 100m Rule Was Controversial

Under the now‑stayed criteria, any landform in notified Aravalli districts would have been treated as part of the Aravalli Hills only if it rose at least 100 metres above the surrounding “local relief”, along with its slopes and adjoining land. Internal assessments using Forest Survey of India (FSI) data suggested that, out of over 12,000 mapped Aravalli hills of 20 metres or more in Rajasthan, only about 1,048 would meet the 100‑metre benchmark, effectively stripping protection from a vast majority of formations.

Experts warned that the elevation‑only approach, combined with the use of local relief instead of a uniform baseline, would exclude many interconnected hillocks and saddles that currently act as ecological corridors, wind barriers and groundwater recharge zones for North India.

Bench Flags Key Questions For Review

While staying the earlier order, the bench framed a series of questions for the proposed expert committee, including whether limiting the definition to landforms of at least 100 metres and counting only hills within a 500‑metre radius as a “range” would leave crucial stretches outside protection. The Court specifically sought clarity on how many hills and how much area would be excluded under the 100‑metre and 500‑metre gap criteria, and whether such gaps could open the door to unregulated mining and construction between protected blocks.

New High‑Powered Expert Committee On The Cards

The bench has proposed the constitution of a high‑powered expert committee with geologists, ecologists, forest officials and independent domain specialists to reassess the earlier report and suggest a more robust definition. The committee will examine the areas counted and excluded as Aravalli under different criteria, study the ecological impact of regulated and unregulated mining, and recommend parameters that preserve the continuity of the range across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi.

Notices have also been issued to the Union government and the four Aravalli states seeking their responses in the suo motu proceedings, after the Court took note of strong public criticism and concerns flagged by the amicus curiae and the Central Empowered Committee about the November 20 order.

What This Means For Mining And Ecology

The 692‑km‑long Aravalli system is one of the world’s oldest fold mountain ranges and forms a natural barrier against the westward spread of the Thar desert, while also influencing air quality and groundwater regimes in Delhi‑NCR and surrounding regions. Environmental groups had warned that weakening the legal definition could accelerate desertification, fragment wildlife habitats and worsen water stress across already‑vulnerable districts.

With the Supreme Court putting its earlier verdict in abeyance, the existing restriction on new mining leases continues, and the future regulatory framework will now hinge on the findings of the proposed expert committee and the Court’s final orders.