Environmentalists write to Supreme Court committee about ‘inadequate’ public consultation on Aravallis

Environmental groups have written to a Supreme Court committee expressing alarm over the committee's inadequate public input and scientific investigation into the Aravallis. The coalition Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyan (AVJA) argued the panel has failed to conduct thorough field research across the mountain range. Pradip Krishen, a resident expert in Aravalli landscapes for two decades, insisted the committee must lead a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Study encompassing all 64 districts.

Stalin Dayanand, director of Vanashakti, a conservation organization, urgently requested the committee broaden consultation, include rural and tribal voices, and allocate time for fieldwork instead of expediting the report's submission by August 31. The Supreme Court had earlier postponed its November 20 ruling that limited the Aravallis to hills at least 100 meters tall and clusters within 500 meters of each other, based on a committee report.

The bench subsequently established a high-powered committee in May, chaired by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education's Director General and including a senior MoEF&CC official as member secretary. The committee must now assess the October 3, 2025 report to inform its upcoming judgment.