Supreme Court Halts Unapproved Mining in Aravalli Hill Range

The Supreme Court has ruled that states with the Aravalli hill range cannot grant final permissions for the renewal of mining leases without the court's prior approval. This decision affects Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The court reiterated its May order and emphasized compliance with statutory clearances.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that states encompassing the Aravalli hill range, including Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, must not grant final permissions for mining lease renewals without prior approval from the apex court.

Hearing two new applications for mining license renewals, the top court directed the states to process renewal proposals and secure necessary statutory clearances from relevant authorities.

Reiterating its May 9 order, the bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan emphasized that no final permission for mining in the Aravalli range, as defined by the Forest Survey of India report of August 25, 2010, shall be granted without the court's approval.

The court also instructed the formation of a committee, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to establish a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and range, addressing the inconsistencies in definitions across different states.