No Final Nod for Renewal of Mining Leases in Aravalli Range Be Granted Without Court’s Approval: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said Aravalli hill range states will remain barred from granting final permission for renewal of mining leases without obtaining prior approval of the apex court. The Aravalli range is spread across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

While hearing two fresh applications for renewal of mining licences, the top court directed the state governments concerned to process the proposals for renewal of leases including obtaining statutory clearances from various authorities.

"... we further direct that no final permission shall be granted for renewal of the mining leases without obtaining prior approval of this court," a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan observed.

The top court virtually reiterated its May 9 order where it said Aravalli range states would be at liberty to consider and process the applications for grant and renewal of mining leases, including obtaining statutory clearances, but no final permission shall be accorded for mining in the hill range, as defined in the Forest Survey of India (FSI) report of August 25, 2010, without the court's permission.

"Needless to state this order in no way shall be construed as prohibiting the legal mining activities which are being carried out in accordance with the valid permits/licences," the top court had said.

It was noted that one of the major issues was with regard to different definitions of Aravalli hills/ranges, as adopted by different states.

The apex court had directed that a committee comprising officials, including the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, be constituted to have a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and range.