Centre bats for woman IFS officer to head HPEC on Aravali definition

NEW DELHI: Five months after keeping in abeyance the SC judgment accepting 100-metres elevation definition for Aravali, the Supreme Court on Monday reserved its decision on composition of the High-Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) to define afresh what constituted Aravali Hills and Ranges, its extent and forest cover.

Appearing for ministry of forest, environment and climate change, additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati supported Central Empowered Committee’s recommendations to make Kanchan Devi, Director General of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, as the HPEC chairperson.





She said the CEC and amicus curiae and senior advocate K Parameshwar have suggested four common names for inclusion in the HPEC as members – Dr Subhash Ashutosh, ex-Director General of Forest Survey of India; Dr Rajendra Kumar Sharma, former Director of Geological Survey of India; Dr C N Pandey, former principal conservator of forest of Gujarat and Dharmendra Prakash, former PCCF of Nagaland.

Numerous other names were suggested by the CEC, amicus and intervenors. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that the HPEC cannot be a very large body as that would be unwieldly and the committee will find it difficult to meet.

It said the committee would be free to take opinions, suggestions and views of expert institutions as and when required and co-opt other domain experts for specific purposes during the study of topography, geography and vegetation while preparing the report.

Senior advocate A S Nadkarni said legal mining by those who hold valid licenses should be permitted. But the bench said that would create confusion and that it would be better if they waited till HPEC submitted its report to the court.

On Dec 29 last year, A bench led by CJI Kant had taken sun motu cognisance of the uproarious concern expressed by environmentalists over SC’s Nov 20 judgment accepting 100-metre elevation definition for Aravali Hills. It had ordered stoppage of all mining activities and grant of renewal or new mining leases in the Aravali region.

Indefinitely keeping in abeyance the operation of SC’s Nov 20 judgment, the bench in its order had said, “This stay shall remain in effect until the present proceedings reach a state of logical finality, ensuring that no irreversible administrative or ecological actions are taken based on the current framework.” Since then, the SC has steadfastly refused to permit any mining activity in Aravalis.