Assess all destruction in the Aravalis before next report: activists to panel, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan (AVJA), a coalition of environmentalists, urged the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) to conduct a comprehensive assessment of destruction in the Aravallis.
• The AVJA demanded in-person public hearings across all remaining Aravalli districts before the HPC submits its next report to the Supreme Court.
• The HPC was constituted by the Supreme Court to independently review the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) report on the definition and delineation of the Aravalli hill range.
• Rural communities in Haryana and Rajasthan, severely impacted by mining, are seeking intensive consultation processes similar to those held in Gujarat and South Rajasthan.

Detailed Insights:

• The Aravalli Range is one of the world's oldest mountain systems, extending approximately 700 km across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
• It serves as a critical ecological barrier, preventing desertification, aiding groundwater recharge, regulating climate, and supporting rich biodiversity.
• The HPC, headed by the Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), was tasked with addressing ambiguities in the Aravalli definition.
• The MoEFCC's October 2025 report had proposed defining Aravalli hills as landforms over 100 meters, a definition that environmentalists argued would exclude a significant portion of the range from protection.
• The Supreme Court initially accepted this definition in November 2025 but later put it in abeyance in December 2025 following widespread protests.
• The AVJA was formed to protest the restrictive definition and advocate for the declaration of the Aravalli range as a 'Critical Ecological Zone'.
• The Supreme Court recently denied the HPC's request for a six-month extension, directing it to submit its final report by November 30, 2026.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Aravalli Range: An ancient fold mountain system in northwestern India, crucial for ecological balance and environmental services.
• High-Powered Committee (HPC): A body appointed by the Supreme Court to provide an independent review and assessment of complex environmental issues.
• Environmental Protection Act, 1986: Umbrella legislation in India providing a framework for environmental protection and improvement.