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Activists call for overhaul of Aravalli panel hearings
Rights groups and activists in Rajasthan have demanded that the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee on the Aravallis overhaul its hearing process. The Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan said on Tuesday the committee had…
The Story in Brief
Rights groups and activists in Rajasthan have demanded that the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee on the Aravallis overhaul its hearing process. The Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan said on Tuesday the committee had not visited any mining-affected villages and urged it not to submit its report by the August 31 deadline without touring all 64 districts across five states. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties and others said the mining lobby dominated the hearings, with mine operators bused in from Nagaur and Makrana. Villagers from Jodhpura reported 45 deaths from dust-related illnesses in four years.
The committee was formed in May to review the Centre’s definition of the Aravalli range, which earlier restricted it to hills above 100 metres. Activists say information about hearings was not publicised in local newspapers or panchayats. They have threatened to hold their own hearings if the process remains exclusionary.
The Indian Opinion
Both sides have dug in. The mining industry is powerful and has shaped past definitions of the Aravallis, but the Supreme Court gave the panel a tight August 31 deadline. Activists accuse the committee of a token four-day tour; the committee says it is following its mandate. A fair process would mean real access for villagers who cannot travel to urban hearing venues. The real test is whether the panel seeks an extension and visits at least a few mining-affected villages before submitting its report.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thehindu.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
