SC looking for experts for Aravalis panel; mining ban continues | India News

NEW DELHI: The SC on Thursday asked the environment ministry and other stakeholders to recommend names of domain experts to the committee tasked with defining the Aravalli hills and mountains, noting that only legal mining will be allowed in the area.On December 29, the Supreme Court took note of the outcry against the new definition of Aravallis and stayed its November 20 order accepting a unified definition of hills and mountains. It also suspended all mining activities.A bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi on Thursday temporarily extended the earlier mining moratorium order.Aravalli case: SC says we will allow only legal miningDuring the hearing, Mukul Rohatgi, senior advocate for the litigants, said the company had a mining license and had won the mining rights after a long battle. Now, the mining industry has come to a standstill due to court orders.“We will allow only legal mining…let the experts tell us (the definition). We will cross all bridges and reach the right destination,” the CJI said.The bench requested the assistance of attorney Jay Cheema. Senior advocate K Parmeswar has assisted the bench as amicus curiae.“We have asked the (Environment) Ministry to recommend a panel of domain experts and their profiles. As this court has observed, senior lawyers have also been asked to provide profiles of some eminent domain experts for the purpose of constituting the committee,” the bench said.The judges said they were aware that all activities, especially mining by licensed companies, had ceased. “However, the status quo must be maintained for the time being until some preliminary issues are resolved in a phased manner. “The matter will be published in the committee’s charter,” the CJI said.After an amicus curiae submitted suggestions on the definition of Aravalli hills and mountains, the bench asked stakeholders to submit written representations by March 10.The judge said a panel of experts will be formed and the issues decided at the next hearing will be decided.Earlier, the bench said that prima facie, the committee’s early report and judgment “omitted to clearly clarify certain key issues” and “further investigation is urgently needed” to prevent any regulatory loopholes that could undermine the ecological integrity of the Aravalli region.“There has been a strong outcry from environmentalists who have raised concerns that the definitions and court directions may be misinterpreted and improperly implemented,” the bench said.