Supreme Court puts Aravalli hills mining order on hold
The Supreme Court has hit pause on its own recent decision that allowed only hills above 100 meters in the Aravalli range to be protected—a move that sparked protests from locals and environmentalists in Rajasthan and Haryana.
People were worried this would open up smaller, but crucial, hills to more mining, threatening the region's environment.
The Aravallis are key in stopping desertification and keeping groundwater levels up.
Why this matters
The court's earlier 100-meter rule faced backlash because it left out many important lower hills vital for water and wildlife.
For decades, the Supreme Court has kept a close eye on mining here—back in 2010, it actually rejected this same height limit and pushed for more scientific checks instead.
This latest back-and-forth highlights how protecting the Aravallis is still a big legal—and environmental—challenge.