{"id":19989,"date":"2026-09-03T23:45:57","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T23:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19989"},"modified":"2026-09-03T23:45:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T23:45:57","slug":"aravalis-cant-be-defined-by-height-or-any-single-criterion-sc-panel-gurgaon-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19989","title":{"rendered":"Aravalis can\u2019t be defined by height or any single criterion: SC panel | Gurgaon News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133745467,imgsize-438964,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/133745467.jpg\" alt=\"Aravalis can\u2019t be defined by height or any single criterion: SC panel\" title=\"Asks For 6 More Months To Frame Recommendations\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Asks For 6 More Months To Frame Recommendations\">Asks For 6 More Months To Frame Recommendations<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>GURGAON: The high-powered committee (HPC) tasked with defining Aravalis has informed <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/supreme-court\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court<\/a> that its complex landscape cannot be captured through a single terrain or height-based criterion and sought six more months till Feb 27 to complete the exercise.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>HPC was formed by Supreme Court after an environment ministry panel\u2019s definition, which recognised as Aravalis only hills that had an elevation of 100 metres or more and was adopted by the court last Nov, drew widespread protests, particularly in <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/rajasthan\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rajasthan<\/a>. The court stayed its judgement in Dec and subsequently set up the HPC in May this year.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>In its compliance report submitted to SC, HPC said geospatial analysis, field validation, expert examination and stakeholder consultations are needed before it can submit its final recommendations. <!-- -->Defining the ancient, and in parts severely degraded, ranges that run between Gujarat and Delhi isn\u2019t an easy task because the Aravalis lack uniformity. At the same time, any restrictive definition could leave ecologically connected hills, forests, aquifers and other important landscapes outside the protection framework, affecting the ecology of the northern plains and making Delhi-NCR more vulnerable to dust storms.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>HPC, which is led by 1991-batch IFS officer and director-general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Kanchan Devi, was originally asked to submit its report by Aug 31.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>\u201cThe work undertaken so far has evidenced the breadth, scientific complexity and wider implications of the issues requiring examination,\u201d HPC said in its report. It added that the questions before it \u201ccannot appropriately be addressed through a single terrain-based criterion or a single source of evidence\u201d.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>The panel said it was, therefore, bringing together spatial, ecological, geological, hydrological, socio-economic and stakeholder evidence. The panel is considering an Aravali Ecosystem Landscape framework under which the range would be assessed as more than a collection of hills and ridges.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>The approach will consider geological and geomorphological features, terrain, watersheds, hydrological systems, forests, biodiversity and ecological connectivity. <!-- -->It will also include recorded forests, protected areas, wetlands, critical catchments, groundwater recharge areas, sacred sites, traditional pastures and areas of archaeological significance.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>The committee said the Aravalis need to be understood \u201cthrough multiple interrelated dimensions\u201d.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>Its field assessment from Aug 6-11 reinforced this approach, with the panel saying it found Aravalis to be, in large parts, \u201ca connected landscape with interlinked ecological, hydrological, biodiversity and socio-cultural values\u201d.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>HPC is also examining the impact of mining, stone quarrying, stone crushing and unregulated sand mining on drainage systems, topography, water systems and biodiversity. It has so far received 680 representations from farmers, local communities, mining sector stakeholders, residents, civil society groups and govt bodies.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>Former forest conservator of south <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/haryana\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haryana<\/a> RP Balwan, who had moved Supreme Court against the ministry panel\u2019s 100m definition, said the geological origin of the range makes a height or gap-based definition problematic.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>\u201cThe Aravali range was formed by tectonic compression during ancient plate collisions. The gaps and height of the range are immaterial. For example, the Himalayas are one irrespective of the political boundary. Aravalis should be considered as one ecosystem,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/gurgaon\/aravalis-cant-be-defined-by-height-or-any-single-criterion-sc-panel\/articleshow\/133745467.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Asks For 6 More Months To Frame Recommendations GURGAON: The high-powered committee (HPC) tasked with defining Aravalis has informed Supreme Court that its complex landscape cannot be captured through a single terrain or height-based criterion and sought six more months till Feb 27 to complete the exercise.HPC was formed by Supreme Court after an environment [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/133745467.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Asks For 6 More Months To Frame Recommendations GURGAON: The high-powered committee (HPC) tasked with defining Aravalis has informed Supreme Court that its complex landscape cannot be captured through a single terrain or height-based criterion and sought six more months till Feb 27 to complete the exercise.HPC was formed by Supreme Court after an environment [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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