NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant a six-month extension to the High-Powered Committee tasked with submitting its final report on the legal definition and environmental protection of the Aravalli Hills. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana directed the panel to deliver its findings by November 30, warning that failure to meet the revised timeline would lead to the complete reconstitution of the body.
Refusing the panel’s request for prolonged deliberations, the Chief Justice instructed the committee members to work around the clock to meet the two-month deadline. The apex court-appointed committee had sought half a year of additional time, arguing that an extended schedule was necessary to carry out a comprehensive and defensible assessment across the sensitive geological belt.
The matter stems from the top court’s suo motu cognisance taken in December last year following intense legal and ecological disputes surrounding the approved criteria and definitions for classifying the ancient mountain system. With mining interests and conservation mandates at stake, the bench signaled that further administrative delays will not be tolerated in safeguarding the ecologically fragile range.
