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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Lokayukta raids on Sarfaraz Khan unearth wealth worth Rs 14.38 crore including 38 acres land
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Lokayukta on Wednesday said cooperative societies director Sardar Sarfaraz Khan was found to be possessing assets to the tune of Rs 14.38 crore.
The Lokayukta sleuths had raided at 13 locations linked to Khan including "his residences, offices and the residences of his relatives," on December 24, 2025 in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case, according to a release.
Khan is presently working as Secretary to the government in the Housing and Minority Welfare Department. He is close to the Housing and Minority Welfare Minister, B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan.
During the searches, the Lokayukta team found him owning four houses, 37 acres of agricultural land, which is estimated to be worth Rs 8.44 crore. The team found ornaments worth Rs 3 crore, Rs 1.64 crore worth vehicles, fixed deposits and other investments worth Rs 5.94 crore, the release added.
