SC Stays Diluted Aravalli Hills Definition
Why focus: SC environmental intervention — GS1 Geography & GS2 Judiciary, tests Aravalli spatial extent and Article 142/137 review powers.
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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BEFORE: The November 2025 judgment defined the Aravalli hills by an elevation threshold, removing environmental protection from areas below 100 meters. NOW: The Supreme Court has stayed this definition, temporarily restoring protective status to lower-elevation contiguous zones.
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BEFORE: Mining and real estate development were legally cleared to expand into newly declassified lower-elevation regions of the Aravallis. NOW: Commercial activities in these contested areas are halted pending a comprehensive review by a newly appointed expert panel.
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BEFORE: The ecological boundary of the Aravallis was determined by a controversial administrative elevation cut-off favored by state developers. NOW: A specialized expert committee is tasked with scientifically determining the region's boundaries based on ecological significance rather than arbitrary height.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Aravalli Range and environmental jurisprudence in India? 1. The Aravalli Range is composed of young fold mountains that act as a climate barrier to the Thar Desert. 2. The T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad case established the legal doctrine of continuing mandamus to oversee forest protection across the country.