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New Delhi: Lawyer Hitendra Gandhi has approached the Supreme Court, urging it to review the Centre’s 100 metre test to identify protected areas in the Aravalli Range. As per the new definition of mountain range by the Centre, which was also approved by the Supreme Court, “The Aravalli hill is any landform in the designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief.
However, with environmentalists protesting the new definition of the Aravalli Hill by the Centre, , Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has defended the move. He observed that the definition, approved by the apex court, will bring 90 percent of the Aravalli region under a protected zone.
In his letter to the Supreme Court, Hitendra Gandhi hailed its November 20 order, but expressed concern over the definition of the operation that was adopted in the order. In its order, the top court had said that landforms with 100 metres or more above their immediate surroundings are treated as the primary criterion to identify Aravalli hills and ranges.
He observed that the suggested approach risked leaving out large, ecologically integral parts of the Aravalli landscape that may not meet the numerical height threshold. Observing that environmental protection is triggered by legal classifications and land records in India, he felt that create "grey zones" where enforcement becomes uncertain.
In its order last month, the bench under then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Gavai had said that only landforms rising 100 meters or more above local terrain will be considered as "Aravalli". The decision was taken following a recommendation by the e Environment Ministry. The Aravalli range run from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana.
