Supreme Court Stalls Haryana’s Mega Zoo Safari: “No One to Touch the Aravalis” Until Range is Defined
In a significant move to protect the ecological integrity of the Aravali mountains, the Supreme Court of India has put a firm hold on the Haryana government's proposed international-standard Jungle Safari project. Expert Definition Required: The Bench stated that judges are not experts; hence, an expert committee must first define the geographical and ecological criteria of the "Aravali Range." Safari Project Stalled: The court refused to examine the Detailed Project Report (DPR), even after the Haryana government reduced the proposed area from 10,000 to 3,300 acres. Multi-State Impact: CJI Surya Kant noted that the Aravali range traverses multiple states and cannot be treated as a localized Haryana issue. Environmental Concerns: The petition, filed by retired IFS officers and NGOs, warns that such large-scale construction would devastate the already fragile ecosystem of the Gurugram-Nuh region. This decision marks a pivotal moment for environmenta...