Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram Seeks Two-Month Extension for Aravalli Consultation

The Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram has urged the chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee on the Aravalli Hills and Ranges to extend the deadline for stakeholder submissions by at least two months, saying the existing consultation process is too short and inaccessible for many tribal and rural communities.

The demand comes after the committee invited representations, suggestions and inputs on the definition and extent of the Aravalli Hills and Ranges. Constituted on May 25, 2026, the panel has been tasked with examining the issue comprehensively and submitting its report to the Supreme Court by August 31.

The Environment Ministry's public notice issued on July 21 invited responses from stakeholders in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat, along with environmentalists, mining lease holders and local communities whose livelihoods are linked to the region's ecosystem and biodiversity. Submissions, supported where possible by documentary or verifiable evidence, were to be made through email or an official Google Form within 21 days. The consultation window closed on August 6.

In a letter dated August 2, Kalyan Ashram joint secretary Vishnu Kant said the short response period and limited field visits could reduce the exercise to a formality. He particularly highlighted the lakhs of Janajatis or Scheduled Tribes living in remote parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, including areas protected under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

The organisation has sought advance publication of the committee's field-visit schedule in Hindi and Gujarati newspapers, arguing that this would help rural communities with limited education or digital access participate. It has also called for consultations with elected representatives and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), citing Article 338A.

Kalyan Ashram further demanded a simplified response format and the option to submit suggestions by post, saying an online-only, tightly structured process could exclude sections of the affected population.

The consultation assumes importance following controversy over an earlier 100-metre elevation-based definition of the Aravallis accepted by the Supreme Court in November 2025 and subsequently kept in abeyance. Environmentalists had warned that smaller but ecologically significant formations could lose protection.

The committee has since begun field consultations involving villagers, farmers, environmentalists, mining interests and other stakeholders. Its recommendations could influence mining regulation, land use, ecological protection and community livelihoods across the Aravalli landscape.

With the original deadline already over and the committee's August 31 reporting deadline approaching, the panel now faces a tight balance between completing its mandate and ensuring meaningful participation from affected communities.