India, Dec. 29 -- In a welcome course correction, the Supreme Court, revisiting its ruling on the definition of the Aravallis suo motu, decided to stay its November 20 order. The court's move to constitute a high-powered expert committee to assess concerns relating to the height-based definition, ecological continuity, and permissible mining is also welcome, considering the importance of the Aravallis to the environmental well-being of northern India. In the wake of the court's rethink, the Centre must now put on hold all policy pronouncements regarding the Aravallis, including surveys and mappings, and freeze all construction and mining in the mountain belt, pending closure of the matter in court.

At the heart of the current debate is t...