Rights groups call for overhaul in hearings by Supreme Court-appointed panel on Aravallis

Civil rights organizations in Rajasthan have urged a reassessment of the procedure used by the Supreme Court-appointed committee investigating the Aravalli hill range. The panel is currently touring the hill regions in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan, tasked with reviewing the central government's report on defining and delineating the Aravallis and addressing ambiguities in their findings. The committee's mission includes evaluating the region's ecology and its impact on people's lives and socio-economic conditions.

Organizations argue that a superficial visit to nine districts in just four days is insufficient for a comprehensive assessment. They emphasize the necessity of genuine public participation, including representatives from rural communities, farmers, pastoralists, and hydrological experts. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and other groups claim that mining interests dominated the hearings, and authorities failed to adequately inform or engage ordinary citizens.

During the hearing in Ajmer, a significant number of mining operators and stakeholders were reportedly invited from Nagaur and Makrana.

When civil society representatives objected to the hearing's conduct, efforts were made to silence them, according to PUCL-Rajasthan president Anant Bhatnagar. The committee must visit rural areas and mining-affected regions directly, examining the ground realities faced by local communities, including silicosis patients severely impacted by mining activities, according to the groups.

The organizations also criticize the committee's composition, demanding representation for all relevant stakeholders. They subsequently called for an extension of the committee's term, a transparent and meaningful process to ensure public participation, a comprehensive study covering all Aravalli districts, and field visits to rural and mining-affected areas.

The statement, signed by the PUCL and organizations such as Save Aravalli, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Shahabad Valley Sangharsh Samiti, Climate Action for Youth, and Jaldhara, underscores the need for a comprehensive ecological, social, economic, and hydrological assessment before drawing final conclusions. If the committee fails to conduct its process genuinely participatory and inclusive, the rights groups threaten to organize their own public hearings across the Aravalli region.