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Supreme Court refuses to extend Aravalli panel deadline
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to extend the August 11 deadline for submitting representations to the high-powered committee (HPC) defining the Aravalli hills. Chief Justice Surya Kant said a judicial extension…
The Story in Brief
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to extend the August 11 deadline for submitting representations to the high-powered committee (HPC) defining the Aravalli hills. Chief Justice Surya Kant said a judicial extension could be misused by vested interests to delay the process. The HPC must submit its report by August 31 with recommendations to conserve the Aravalli ecosystem across Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. The court will consider the report on September 7, when it may also decide whether to lift its stay on mining in the region.
Senior advocate Devashish Bharuka, representing a non-profit working with tribal communities in Gujarat, argued that many villagers were digitally illiterate and unaware of the online notice. He also alleged the committee had conducted site inspections only in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, ignoring Gujarat. The CJI rejected the criticism, saying the court would wait for the report and noted that the notice had been widely publicised.
The Indian Opinion
The court’s refusal to extend the deadline is being painted by some as disregard for tribal communities, but the CJI rightly noted that the committee’s notice was widely publicised and that representations can still be sent directly. The real test will come on September 7, when the court considers the report. Will the committee accept late submissions from the Gujarat NGO, or will the court intervene again? That will show whether the process is truly inclusive or just a formality.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
