SC Reverses Aravalli Stance: 100-Meter Rule Ignites Old Debate

• Supreme Court in 2025 approved a 100-meter elevation benchmark to define Aravalli hills, reversing its 2010 position.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recommended the 100-meter rule to regulate mining activities.
• In 2010, SC rejected a similar 100-meter proposal from Rajasthan, instead ordering a comprehensive FSI assessment of the entire range.
• FSI's 2010 assessment led to a three-degree slope methodology, recognizing the ecological importance of lower Aravalli hills.
• Critics fear the new rule undermines environmental protection, leaving lower hills vulnerable to mining and development, despite government claims of clarification.

Why It Matters: SC's 2025 Aravalli definition shift revives environmental concerns and questions its past judicial oversight.