High Court furious over mining in Aravalli, terms protection a major public interest issue

According to a report by Amar Ujala, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has termed the protection of the Aravalli hills as a subject of utmost public interest and has raised serious questions over the mining activities taking place in Charkhi Dadri. The court has stated in clear terms that before granting permission for mining anywhere, the concerned officials must ensure that public interest related to the protection of these hills is not ignored in any way.

The court has also clarified that before passing any order in this matter, it wants to be fully satisfied as to whether the interests of environmental protection are being adequately safeguarded in the disputed area. The High Court emphasized that preserving the Aravalli is extremely essential for the future of us all. The court further noted that even if the original petitioners are no longer interested in pursuing this case, the significant questions of broad public interest associated with it will be investigated seriously. To provide judicial assistance in this case, the court has appointed Advocate Jatin Bansal as Amicus Curiae and has issued necessary directions to him.

Referring to the drone survey report available on record, the court stated that prima facie, this mining area appears to be a part of the Aravalli hills. Excluding the leased mining area, green forest cover exists in all the surrounding areas. In this case, it was argued by the petitioners that the land in question is recorded in the revenue records as unusable mountain, i.e., 'Gair Mumkin Pahar'. Regarding this, the court said that these entries in the revenue records also sufficiently support its preliminary view that the mining area is a part of the Aravalli hills and must be protected.

Different claims have been presented by both parties regarding the legality of the mining lease in this matter. The petitioners claimed that the term of this mining lease had already expired in January 2026. On the other hand, the respondents stated in their reply to the court that this lease is legally valid until 2 January 2027.

Considering all these disputes and serious matters, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Charkhi Dadri to file an affidavit. Through the affidavit, the DC will have to clarify whether the concerned mining area is actually a part of the Aravalli hills and whether mining can be legally permitted there.