NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has constituted a five-member High-Powered Committee (HPC) to conduct a comprehensive scientific assessment of issues related to the definition and demarcation of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli Hills and Ranges. The committee will be headed by the Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and has been asked to submit its report by August 31, 2026.
A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi said the expert panel would examine the environmental, ecological and geological implications of the parameters used to identify the Aravalli range. The court emphasised that any future decisions concerning the region must be based on scientific evidence and expert evaluation, given the fragile ecosystem and rich biodiversity of the Aravallis.
The committee includes former Forest Survey of India Director General Dr Subhash Ashutosh, retired Geological Survey of India Director Dr Rajendra Kumar Sharma, former Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Joint Secretary Brij Mohan Singh Rathore, and former Delhi University Botany Department head Prof. Ashok K. Bhatnagar. Additionally, Professor Jagdish Krishnaswamy of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements and Professor Laxmikant Sharma of the Central University of Haryana will serve as special invitees and provide expert assistance when required. (IANS)
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