NEW DELHI: Members of Parliament (MPs) from Rajasthan, along with the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Haryana and the Aravalli region of Rajasthan, as well as prominent scientists and farmer leaders, have expressed concerns about the public consultation process carried out by the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) for the protection of the Aravalli range.
These leaders and prominent scientists argue that the committee's scientific studies, public consultations, and field trips along the 700 km stretch of the Aravalli have been inadequate. During their visits from August 6 to 11, 2026, the committee only covered nine districts in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan and held public hearings in just four cities.
On June 3, 2026, the Supreme Court established a five-member HPC tasked with independently evaluating the scientific definition and boundaries of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges.
With the final report due on August 31, the MPs and MLA are requesting an extension of the submission deadline and a more comprehensive consultation process that includes all 64 districts and the affected communities.
Rajkumar Roat, Lok Sabha MP from Banswara, Amra Ram, Lok Sabha MP from North Rajasthan, and Tika Ram Jully, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, have each written to the HPC demanding thorough consultation with those affected by illegal mining in the Aravalli hills.
“The consultation process adopted by the High-Powered Committee goes against the spirit of the Supreme Court order,” Roat stated. He emphasizes that the process was unfair and insisted that “a fair, impartial, independent expert opinion must be obtained and considered, after involving all requisite stakeholders to resolve critical ambiguities and to provide definitive guidance on these issues.”
Furthermore, Amra Ram expressed disappointment that the HPC did not visit a single mining-affected village in the Sikar and Kotputli districts, which have been severely impacted by illegal mining. The region has also seen a rise in silicosis cases.
“The Committee should have visited Salyodra village in Sikar district, where more than 50 people have died of silicosis in recent years,” Ram noted. He urged the Committee to recommend closing down all mines and stone crushers operating in residential areas, adjacent to agricultural fields, and in ecologically sensitive regions such as rivers, orchards, and forests.
Jully has also submitted a detailed feedback letter to the Aravalli committee regarding the issues with their field visits and the public consultation process.
Bharat Bhushan Batra, Congress MLA from Rohtak, wrote to the Aravalli Committee to express the dissatisfaction of rural communities in Haryana's Aravalli districts, who felt entirely excluded from the committee's public consultation process.
“The Committee did not visit any Aravalli villages impacted by illegal mining, waste dumping, and burning in the Gurgaon, Faridabad, and Nuh districts, as well as areas in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, and Mahendergarh districts in South Haryana, which are severely affected by mining and stone crushing operations. They failed to assess the damage to the Aravalli ecosystem and the health and traditional livelihoods of the people,” Batra stated.
Other notable individuals, including scientists Ravi Chopra, CP Rajendran, farmer leader Inderjit Singh, and Ashok Chaudhary from Gujarat, have also written to the HPC requesting an extension of the timeline for the report.
