Don’t submit report on Aravallis without visiting all districts: Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan to SC-appointed panel

The Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan (AVJA), an alliance of environmentalists and activists, criticized the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) on the Aravallis for not visiting mining-affected villages. AVJA co-founder Neelam Ahluwalia urged the committee to write to the Supreme Court for an extension on the August 31 deadline for submitting their report.

She emphasized the need for the HPC to visit all 64 districts across the five states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat to understand the concerns of local communities. Ahluwalia highlighted the issue of public hearings held by the HPC, where affected villagers faced challenges in attending due to lack of information about the meetings' timings and venues.

She also expressed concerns about the public's awareness of the public hearings, noting that local newspapers, radio, and government offices did not widely publicize this information. Rekha Yogi, a resident of Jodhpura village in Rajasthan's Kotputli-Behror district, shared her village's struggle with mining-related health issues and the loss of 45 villagers to illnesses over the past four years.

The Supreme Court recently constituted the HPC to review the government's report on the definition and delineation of the Aravalli hill range, with the first judgment delivered on November 20, 2025.