The Congress has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the ‘100-metre definition’ of the Aravalli range, calling it a major relief for environmental conservation and a setback for what it described as unchecked construction and dilution of green protections.
Party leaders said the court’s intervention prevents large tracts of the Aravalli hills from being excluded from environmental safeguards, which they argue would have opened the door to mining, real estate expansion, and commercial activity in ecologically sensitive zones across Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of Delhi-NCR.
The ‘100-metre definition’ had sought to restrict the protected Aravalli area to land within 100 metres of recorded hill features, a move critics said ignored the geological and ecological continuity of the range. Environmental activists and opposition parties warned that such a narrow definition could effectively strip protection from vast stretches of forest and hill ecosystems that play a critical role in groundwater recharge, air quality, and climate resilience.
Congress leaders said the Supreme Court’s stay validates long-standing concerns raised by environmental groups and local communities. They accused previous policy decisions of prioritising commercial interests over ecological balance and said the ruling reinforces the need for science-based environmental governance.
Legal experts note that the stay means status quo will be maintained until the court hears the matter in detail, preventing any immediate changes to land-use rules in the Aravalli region. The case is expected to have far-reaching implications, as the Aravallis are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world and serve as a natural barrier against desertification.
The Congress has urged the Centre and state governments to respect the court’s order and ensure that no irreversible damage is carried out in the interim. Party leaders also called for a comprehensive, legally robust definition of the Aravallis that reflects ecological realities rather than administrative convenience.
As the matter awaits further hearing, environmentalists say the ruling offers a crucial pause — one that could shape the future of one of north India’s most fragile and vital natural systems.