The Supreme Court has formed a five-member committee to define the Aravalli range and regulate future mining activities. The panel will submit a report on the conservation of the range by August 31.
The committee will be headed by Director General of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) Kanchan Devi. The court has asked the committee to be mindful of various considerations and involve stakeholders, including states, environmentalists, and local communities.
The top court has already stayed mining across the entire Aravalli region pending the committee's final report. The matter will be next heard on September 7.
The Aravalli range serves as the 'green lung' for northwestern India and is an indispensable geographical barrier separating the arid northwestern desert from the fertile northern plains.
