Jaipur, Nov. 13 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment on the contentious issue of defining the "Aravalli Hills and Ranges" - a decision that will have sweeping implications for mining regulation and environmental conservation across nearly 20 districts of Rajasthan and adjoining states. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, justices Vinod Chandran, and NV Anjaria reserved its verdict after detailed hearings from all sides, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the State of Rajasthan, and various mine owners' associations. The matter stems from a May 9, 2024, direction of the Court that tasked an Expert Committee with framing a uniform definition of the Aravallis to ensure effective protection and sustainable use. Rejecting a "one-size-fits-all" approach based solely on elevation, the committee recommended that: "Any landform located in the Aravalli districts having an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief, together with its supporting slopes and associated landforms, shall be deemed part of the Aravalli Hills. Two or more such hills located within 500 metres proximity shall constitute an Aravalli Range." It recommended a ban on new mining leases within notified Aravalli Hills and Ranges, permitting only extraction of critical, strategic, and atomic minerals under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, he said. The ruling will likely redefine mining policy in Rajasthan, where large parts of the mineral belt overlap with the Aravalli system. Legal experts describe the upcoming verdict as a "watershed moment" for India's environmental jurisprudence....