The Supreme Court has issued an important ruling on the conservation of the Aravali Hills, directing the Union government to create a full-scale scientific plan to regulate mining across the entire range. The Court said the Aravalis, which stretch across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, are too ecologically fragile to allow unchecked mining.
A Bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, along with Justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria, asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to prepare a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM). The study will be carried out by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, similar to the detailed report earlier prepared for the Saranda and Chaibasa forests in Jharkhand.
The Court stressed the ecological value of the Aravalis, calling them one of the oldest mountain systems on Earth and a crucial shield against the eastward spread of the Thar Desert. It noted their role in supporting wildlife, maintaining groundwater, and influencing North India’s climate.
A government-appointed committee had submitted a report defining what qualifies as “Aravali Hills” and “Aravali Range.” The Court accepted this definition: hills that rise at least 100 meters above local terrain, and clusters of two or more such hills within 500 meters of each other.
While the Court agreed with the committee’s call to ban mining in core areas, it said larger scientific assessment is still needed before any fresh permissions can be granted. Until the management plan is ready, no new mining leases can be issued. Legal mining already underway may continue, but only under strict compliance with the committee’s recommendations.
The Court directed that the new MPSM must identify fragile zones, restoration areas, and places where mining can be allowed subject to strict safeguards. It must also assess cumulative environmental impacts and outline detailed restoration rules for mined land.
The matter will return to the Court after the environment ministry completes the plan.
Case details
Case: In Re: T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Others
Number: WP (C) 202 of 1995
Judgment Date: November 20, 2025
Bench: CJI B.R. Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, Justice N.V. Anjaria
