Illegal mining can lead to irreversible damage: SC bats for expert committee on Aravallis
New Delhi (PTI): Observing that illegal mining can lead to irreversible damage, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will constitute an expert committee comprising domain experts to undertake an exhaustive and holistic examination of mining and related issues in the Aravallis.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi directed Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, amicus curiae K Parameshwar, to suggest in four weeks the names of environmentalists and scientists who have expertise in mining so that an expert body can be constituted to look into the aspects.
The committee will work under the direction and supervision of this court, the bench said.
The apex court also extended its order, which kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of Aravallis hills and ranges.
During the hearing, the apex court was informed that illegal mining is taking place in scattered places, and the bench took on record assurance of Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Rajasthan government, that no such unauthorised mining shall take place.
Amid a row over the definition of the Aravalli hills approved by it, the apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue titled as 'In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues'.
Amid the outcry over the new definition of Aravallis, the top court on December 29 last year had kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges, saying there is a need to resolve "critical ambiguities" including whether the 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills criteria will strip significant portion of the range of environment protection.
The top court had on November 20 accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges and banned the grant of fresh mining leases inside its areas spanning Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until experts' reports are out.
It had accepted the recommendations of a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges to protect the world's oldest mountain system.
The committee had recommended that "Aravalli Hill" be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief, and an "Aravalli Range" will be a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.
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Dr. Thumbay Moideen featured in Entrepreneur Middle East 100 NRI’s of the year
Dubai: Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder of Thumbay Group has been featured in this year's “The 100 NRIs by Entrepreneur Middle East.”
The annual feature recognises 100 prominent Non-Resident Indian entrepreneurs from diverse fields. Other notable names on the list include Zakariya Jokatte, Ashish Koshy, Deepak Babani, Pankaj Kundr, Faizal E. Kottikollon, Dr. Vivek Oberoi, and Prashant Goenka.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen, son of the late community leader B. Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen, is a prominent alumnus of St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru. He has earned widespread recognition in the UAE and beyond for his contributions to higher education and healthcare. He is also a recipient of the Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award 2025.
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In 1997, Dr. Moideen founded the Thumbay Group, a diversified international conglomerate that has expanded into health education, healthcare services, and medical research. In 1998, he became the first Indian invited by the rulers of Ajman to establish a medical college in the UAE, which has now grown into a university with its own network of hospitals, clinics, medical centers, and pharmacies across the country.
Dr. Moideen’s achievements have been recognised in respected publications, including Forbes Middle East and Arabian Business. He has also received an Honorary Fellowship from the International Medical Sciences Academy (IMSA) and an honorary doctorate from Amity University.
Today, Thumbay Group institutions cater to students and healthcare professionals from over 100 nationalities, contributing to workforce development and research-driven healthcare practices. Dr. Moideen is widely regarded as one of the most influential Non-Resident Indians in the Gulf, a respected voice from the Beary community, and a leading Muslim entrepreneur and educationist.
Over the past decades, he has steered Thumbay Group’s expansion into a multi-sector organisation focusing on academic medicine, research-led healthcare, and global education. His initiatives have created opportunities for thousands of healthcare professionals and students while strengthening healthcare delivery systems and academic collaboration across regions.
