Sidney Crosby and Kathy Leutner (Image Via Twitter)

People have thought for a long time that Sidney Crosby is one of the best ice hockey players of his time, and he is a well-known NHL player because he has won multiple Stanley Cups and personal awards as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fans pay a lot of attention to what he does on the ice, but not much is known about his personal life.Many Penguins fans are interested in Crosby’s relationship with Kathy Leutner. Rumors say that the couple has been together for more than fifteen years and has helped each other through the ups and downs of their careers. Leutner has been to some of Crosby’s games, cheering from the sidelines and showing unwavering support, even though they try to stay out of the spotlight.

Details on Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins relationship status with Kathy Leutner

A mutual friend set up Sidney Crosby and Kathy Leutner on a date in 2008, and their love story began; Crosby was making waves in his third NHL season at the time, and Leutner was working on her modeling career. The couple chose to keep their relationship private from the start, avoiding social media and public attention.Leutner, who is from Chantilly, Virginia, started modeling in 2005 and became well-known after appearing in Sports Illustrated in 2011, and since then, she has worked with well-known brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and Faviana, showing that she is a successful professional in her own right.They both love sports, which helped their friendship grow over the years. Crosby has won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Memorial Trophies as the league’s best player, and many other awards during his long career. Leutner has always been there for him, going to games and celebrating milestones with him.Sidney Crosby and Kathy Leutner have been together for a long time, and their story is still a great example of how to support, trust, and work together in the high-pressure world of professional sports.Also Read: Net worth of Auston Matthews in 2025: Details on Toronto Maple Leafs captain’s earnings, salary, and contracts

Christmas is not just a festival but an emotion! It is a spirit, a mood, a joy that fills up the season. On Christmas families meet, friends gang up, relatives and even colleagues come together to celebrate. Warm messages are exchanged between people who wish each other happiness, good luck and better health. We have curated 50 plus messages here so that you don’t have to scout the internet or rummage through old WhatsApp messages to find the perfect one. Merry Christmas!

“Merry Christmas, you chaotic, wonderful human; may your days be full of good food, inside jokes, and people who really get you. Here’s to a new year where your coffee is strong and your deadlines are kind.”“Wishing you a Christmas that feels like a deep breath after a long year, with warm lights, familiar voices, and zero guilt naps. May the season remind you how loved and irreplaceable you are.”“Merry Christmas to someone who makes the ordinary feel festive just by being around. May your home be noisy with laughter, your plate be full, and your heart feel even fuller.”“This Christmas, may your Wi‑Fi be stable, your family group chat calm, and your heart unexpectedly light. Sending you warmth, peace, and just the right amount of drama to keep things fun.”“Wishing you a Christmas where the recipes work, the gifts actually land, and the memories feel soft around the edges. Thank you for being one of the constants in a very unpredictable year.”“Merry Christmas to you and your beautifully imperfect crew; may your celebrations be real, unfiltered, and full of moments you actually want to remember. Here’s to more shared stories and fewer forced smiles.”“May this Christmas feel less like a performance and more like a safe place to just be yourself in comfy clothes. Hoping your day is stitched together with small, quiet joys and loud, happy laughs.”“Merry Christmas to a colleague who somehow makes work feel less like work and more like a team sport. May your break be email-free, nap-heavy, and full of the people and things you love most.”“Wishing you a Christmas that feels like a good playlist: a mix of nostalgia, unexpected favorites, and a few moments that give you goosebumps. May kindness find you in little ways all season.”“Merry Christmas to you, the keeper of shared memories and half-finished conversations. May this season give you time to slow down, reconnect, and remember what actually matters to you.”Merry Christmas to the one who lights up every room without trying; may your day spill over with easy laughs, hot cocoa, and zero rush. You make the season feel alive.Wishing you a Christmas that wraps around you like your favorite old sweater, cozy and familiar. Hope it brings unexpected treats and people who get your quirks.Happy Christmas, you absolute star; let the holidays fill your cup with rest, good stories, and bites of everything sweet. Grateful for your kind of magic.Merry Christmas to someone who turns chaos into charm; may your tree lean just right, your feasts satisfy, and your heart hum with joy. Here’s to you.Merry Christmas across the board, let it deliver cozy corners, full plates, and light hearts. Simple wins all around.Happy Christmas wishes laced with nostalgia, new sparks, and real connection. You shine bright.Merry Christmas to your circle, may it unfold with unhurried bliss and echoes of cheer. All the love.

Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas to the friend who knows all my bad habits and loves me anyway; may your holidays overflow with lazy mornings, epic playlists, and zero regrets. Here’s to us laughing through whatever comes next year.Dear dost! Wishing you a Christmas that hits like your favorite comfort food after a rough week-warm, satisfying, and just what you need! Surround yourself with the people who make your world brighter, you absolute gem.HO! HO! HO! Happy holidays to my ride-or-die; may your tree be crooked but charming, your gifts thoughtful, and your nights full of stories we haven’t told yet. Can’t wait to make more memories with you.Merry Christmas, you legend, may the season wrap you in cozy blankets, strong coffee, and the kind of joy that sneaks up on you. Thanks for being the friend who always shows up, no questions asked.To my favorite chaos partner: hope your Christmas is stuffed with inside jokes, spontaneous dances, and plates piled high with treats. You’re the spark that makes everything better.Wishing you a holiday that feels like sinking into your couch with zero agenda, just good company and better vibes. Merry Christmas to the one who turns ordinary days into adventures.Merry Christmas, darling dost! May your days be free of small talk, full of deep chats, and sprinkled with those little wins that make you smile. Grateful for you every single day.Hope your Christmas unfolds like a perfect lazy afternoon: warm lights, familiar tunes, and friends who feel like family. You’re irreplaceable, and I hope you know it.

Hey my dearest family!!! Wishing you people a merry Christmas. YOU raised me on love, laughter, and way too many inside jokes; may our table groan under the weight of food and stories this year. Here’s to roots that run deep and branches that keep growing!Wishing my lovely family a holiday where the house smells like home, the arguments are short-lived, and the hugs linger. You all make the world make sense, even when it’s messy.Happy Christmas to Mom, Dad, and the siblings who know me best, may we skip the drama, savor the feasts, and stack up memories like ornaments. Love you more than words, always.To my family crew! Hope this Christmas brings quiet moments amid the noise, full bellies, and hearts even fuller. You’re my safe harbor, no matter the storm.Merry Christmas, fam, may the lights twinkle as bright as our shared history, the food taste even better than last year, and the love multiply. Grateful for every single one of you.Wishing our family a season of worn-in sweaters, board games that go late, and the kind of warmth that sticks with you. You’ve built a home that’s bigger than walls.Happy holidays to the ones who’ve seen me at my worst and loved me through it; may Christmas refill our tanks with joy and togetherness. Forever yours.Merry Christmas to my family, the original squad, hope it’s all twinkly chaos, home-cooked magic, and zero rush. You make belonging feel effortless.Wishing our crew a Christmas of soft lights, shared secrets, and belly laughs that echo. Love runs deep here, always.Merry Christmas fam, may it taste like grandma’s recipes, sound like kid giggles, and feel like endless hugs. Pure gold.Merry Christmas buddy, hope it’s packed with late night chats, silly dances, and zero regrets. You’re my favorite plot twist.To the family who knows my coffee order: Merry Christmas full of adventures big and small. Can’t imagine it without you.

Merry Christmas to a colleague who turns meetings into something bearable; may your break be blissfully quiet, your inbox empty, and your couch calling. Cheers to crushing it together next year.Wishing you a holiday free from spreadsheets and full of whatever recharges you, family feasts, solo naps, or holiday movies on repeat. Great working with you!Happiest Christmas colleague, snag that nap filled break, feast without guilt, and recharge like a boss. Teamwork makes it sweeter.Wishing you holidays minus the emails, plus all the peace and play you deserve. Great vibes working with you.Happy Christmas to the teammate who gets it done with grace; hope your days off sparkle with rest, good eats, and zero alarms. See you refreshed and ready.Merry Christmas, work dost! Bhagwan kare the season gifts you time to unplug, indulge in favorites, and forget deadlines exist. You’re a pro, and it shows.To a colleague who’s more like a co-conspirator: enjoy a Christmas stacked with peace, play, and people who appreciate you. Holiday high-fives!Wishing you holidays that feel like a well-deserved exhale-warm drinks, easy company, and no emails for a while! Thanks for making the grind better.Merry Christmas to the office bright spot; may your festivities be low-key fabulous, with naps uninterrupted and joy unscripted. Back at it soon!Happy holidays, colleague, hope it’s brimming with family time, festive bites, and the battery recharge we all need. You’re gold.

Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad (l) plays a forward defensive, watched by England wicketkeeper John Murray (r) (Photo/Getty Images)

Even before Pakistan had Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, or Shoaib Akhtar, it had Hanif Mohammad. Pakistan’s first great cricketer did not announce himself with power or speed, but with time. Lots of it. He built a team around the idea that you could refuse to lose.Hanif was Pakistan cricket’s first true star. At a time when the country was new and still finding its voice, he gave it one through the bat. His feats, heard across Pakistan on radio, took the game out of drawing rooms and college grounds and into streets, maidans, and homes. Cricket stopped being a pursuit of a small, educated elite and became a sport for everyone.

Hanif Mohammad was born in 1934 in Gujarat, in undivided India. After Partition, his family moved to Pakistan, and so did his cricketing future. Hanif played 55 Tests, including Pakistan’s first against India in 1952. He played for Pakistan across a career that lasted 17 years, scoring 3,915 runs at an average of 43.98. Those numbers matter, but they only tell part of the story. Hanif’s true value lay in what he represented and how he played.He was called the “Little Master”. He stood 5 feet 3 inches tall. When he first appeared in top-level cricket, he looked younger than his age and smaller than most around him. When he walked out to bat at Lahore in November 1951, during the first unofficial Test between Pakistan and MCC, he was only 16. It was his first-class debut.“He looked about 12, Brian Statham said, as cited by Wisden in its obituary of Hanif. By the end of the day, the joke had worn thin. Hanif made 26 in 165 minutes. In the very next match, he batted for over four hours to score 64 as Pakistan chased 288. That innings, quiet as it was, changed things. Eight months later, Pakistan were granted Test status.With Abdul Hafeez Kardar as captain and Fazal Mahmood leading the attack, Hanif was the one who held the innings together. Time and again, he stood between Pakistan and defeat, building long innings based on defence, judgment, and discipline.Nothing defines him better than the innings that still stands alone in cricket history. Bridgetown, 1957–58. Pakistan were touring the West Indies. West Indies made 579. Pakistan collapsed for 106 on the third day of what was a six-day match, and were asked to follow on, trailing by 473. Defeat was not a question of “if”, only “when”.Hanif reached 61 on stumps on Day 3, having endured Roy Gilchrist’s short-pitched assault, he chose not to hook. Over the next three days, Hanif batted. And batted. He added exactly 100 on the fourth day as Pakistan lost just one wicket. On the fifth day, he defied pain from thighs bruised by Gilchrist, and sunburn that caused the skin under his eyes to peel away. During intervals he would sit in a corner of the dressing room and eat a piece of chicken. By stumps he had 270, and Pakistan a small lead. He scored 337, batted for 970 minutes, and shared century partnerships with four players, including his brother Wazir. Pakistan declared on 657 for 8. The match was drawn. Hanif’s innings remain the longest individual innings (by minutes) in Tests.A year later, Hanif showed that this was no one-off. Playing for Karachi against Bahawalpur in 1959, he scored 499 in a first-class match. It was the highest first-class score at the time. He was run out in the final over while trying for his 500th run. The record stood for 35 years, until Brian Lara made 501 for Warwickshire.That reputation sometimes reduced him to a caricature, but Hanif was more than a blocker. He could attack when required and is often credited as the originator of the reverse sweep. His skill set was wide. He captained Pakistan, kept wicket, and even bowled right- and left-handed in Test cricket. Yet, above all, he was a master of one thing: staying in.Hanif’s career was not without lean phases. His 1962 tour of England brought his first sustained run of low scores. He managed 177 runs in the series at an average of 17.70, with a highest score of 47. Five years later, nearing his mid-30s, he returned to England with a point to prove. English fast bowlers thought the short ball would trouble him. John Snow tested him repeatedly. Hanif answered with 187 not out in the first Test at Lord’s. It took 556 balls and the match was drawn. By the late 1960s, consistency became harder to maintain and Hanif decided to step away. He finished with 12 Test centuries and 15 fifties. His average, once above 47, settled at 43.98. He scored Test centuries against all opponents away from home, dismissing any idea that he was dependent on home conditions. His away average of 42.62 was close to his overall average in Tests.Hanif was also part of one of cricket’s most remarkable families. Three of his brothers — Wazir, Mushtaq and Sadiq — played Test cricket. Another brother, Raees, was once Pakistan’s twelfth man. In 1969–70, Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq played together against New Zealand at Karachi, Hanif’s final Test, echoing the Grace brothers’ feat for England in 1880. At least one brother featured in Pakistan’s first 89 Tests. His son Shoaib later played 45 Tests.Hanif Mohammad passed away on August 11, 2016, in Karachi, aged 81 years and 234 days. By then, Pakistan cricket had seen fast bowlers who terrified batters, captains who won world titles. But before Pakistan learned how to win, it learned how not to lose. That lesson came from Hanif Mohammad, who was born on this day (December 21) in 1934.

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns expressed in certain quarters over the possibility of expansion of mining activities in the Aravali Hills and Ranges in the wake of its new uniform definition, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday said it was absolutely wrong to conclude that the mining is permitted in all landforms below 100 metres height as there has been no relaxation made at all in the Aravali.“Only 0.19% of the total 1.44 lakh sq km area of Aravali can be eligible for mining. The rest of the Aravali is protected and secure,” he posted on X. The Aravalli Hills and Ranges are among India’s oldest geological formations, stretching from Delhi through Haryana, Rajasthan, and into Gujarat. Only a very small area is under permitted mining leases and out of this small percentage, nearly 90 % of the mining activity is confined to Rajasthan, followed by about 9% in Gujarat and about 1% in Haryana. No mining activity is permitted in Delhi. Yaav said the Aravali range has been explained as all the landforms which exist within 500 metre of two adjoining hills of height of 100 metres or more. All landforms existing within this 500 metre zone irrespective of their height and slopes are excluded for the purposes of grant of mining lease, said the minister.He also clarified the issue in detail in response to a media query on the sidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s meeting at Unesco World Heritage Site Sundarbans. The question pertained to the recent Supreme Court’s acceptance of uniform policy level definition of Aravali Hills and Ranges specifically in the context of regulating mining.Yadav, however, emphasised that all the landforms enclosed within the lowest binding contour encircling Hills of height 100 metre or more irrespective of their height and slopes are excluded for the purposes of grant of mining lease.The Opposition parties had raised the issue in the Parliament during the concluded winter session, claiming that the definition would exclude most of the Aravali range from protection. In the wake of the SC’s Nov order of accepting the Centre-backed definition, Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh called the move a severe blow to the Aravali ecosystem.“The Aravalli Hills extend from Delhi through Haryana and Rajasthan to Gujarat. Over the years they have been devastated by mining, construction, and other activities in violation of all regulations and laws. Now it appears that this sensitive and sprawling ecosystem will be subject to another severe blow,” Ramesh had posted on X.Referring to media reports, he had said, “This definition is meant to restrict mining but in reality will mean that 90% of the Aravalli Hills will not be counted as Aravalli any more. Evidently, the Supreme Court has accepted this revised definition. This is bizarre and will have very grave environmental and public health consequences. It calls for an immediate review.”Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot too opened a front against the SC recent move, blaming the Centre for pitching for that uniform definition. Yadav on Sunday, however, appealed to everyone to “stop spreading confusion” and even explained how the Rajasthan government has been following the definition since 2006.His ministry also explained that all Aravali range states/UT during deliberations agreed to adopt the uniform criterion of “100 metres above local relief” for regulating mining in the Aravalli region as had been in force in Rajasthan while unanimously agreeing to make it more objective and transparent.“All the landforms enclosed within the lowest binding contour encircling Hills of height 100 metre or more irrespective of their height and slopes are excluded for the purposes of grant of mining lease. Similarly, Aravali range has been explained as all the landforms which exist within 500 metres of two adjoining Hills of height 100 metre or more. All landforms existing within this 500 metre zone irrespective of their height and slopes are excluded for the purposes of grant of mining lease,” the ministry clarified.By defining Aravalli Hills as any landform rising 100 metres or more above local relief, along with their supporting slopes, the entire ecological unit is protected. This prevents piecemeal exploitation of slopes or foothills that are vital for soil stability, water recharge, and vegetation cover.”

Funeral procession of Osman Hadi in Dhaka (ANI file photo)

Western diplomatic missions in Bangladesh, including the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, Germany and France, have “unusually” mourned the death of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, issuing condolence messages after he was killed earlier this month.Former foreign secretary and diplomat Kanwal Sibal questioned the diplomatic response in a series of posts on X, saying the official statements of this nature were typically reserved for individuals with clear international or bilateral significance.Also read |‘Misleading propaganda’: India rejects Dhaka media reports on protest outside Bangladesh High Commission; flags atrocities against minorities

“Osman Hadi’s murder. Diplomatically unusual for the US, EU, German and French missions in BD to give so much political prominence to the murder of a student leader whose importance in the bilateral or international context is not readily apparent,” Sibal wrote.The former diplomat further highlighted Hadi’s strong anti-India stance, noting that the student leader and his group had repeatedly voiced hostility towards India. He pointed out that Hadi’s organisation, Inquilab Mancha, openly promoted claims over India’s northeast. He said the posts by the US in particular appeared to show a vested interest in the overtly anti-India group.“He was deeply hostile to India, was claiming India’s northeast, and therefore, in the regional context, a particular message is going out to India. His Inquilab Mancha has said this on his death: ‘In the struggle against Indian hegemony, Allah has accepted the great revolutionary Osman Hadi as a martyr.’ Judging by this post, the US had a vested interest in this overtly anti-Indian group,” Sibal wrote.Sibal also questioned whether mourning a figure linked to a group advocating Sharia law was consistent with Western claims of supporting democracy and minority rights in Bangladesh.“This mourning of a person whose organisation is to introduce Sharia in BD sits ill with democracy and minority rights in BD. His followers have torched the buildings associated with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in repeated acts of disowning BD’s freedom struggle. Do these western embassies approve of all this? Another case of western double standards and hypocrisy?” Sibal asked.X also added a community note to the UN’s post, claiming Hadi was a radical Islamist and accusing his followers of involvement in anti-minority violence. It said his followers were currently lynching and burning civilians alive. The note questioned why the UN was focused on Hadi, a “terrorist”, rather than on attacks against civilians.Hadi was shot in the head by masked gunmen on December 12 while campaigning in central Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He later died while undergoing treatment in Singapore.Also read | Bangladesh unrest: Protesters break through barricades and enter Parliament building after youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi’s funeral; watchHe was a leader of the student-led protests last year that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, and was a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections.Following his death, various parts of the country were rocked by attacks and vandalism, including stone-pelting at the assistant Indian high commissioner’s residence in Chattogram. A Hindu man, identified as 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh city.

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Sajid Akram, one of the two men behind the deadly Bondi Beach attack on December 14, had been homeless and living in a series of short-term Airbnbs across Sydney for at least six months before the massacre, new reports show.Even after his death, his estranged wife has refused to claim his body. Now the government is responsible for burial arrangements, according to 7NewsSydney.The 50-year-old was killed during a shootout with police following the ISIS-inspired attack that claimed 15 lives, including a child, and left dozens injured. His son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, was apprehended at the scene and remains in hospital under police guard in critical but stable condition.Authorities have confirmed that Sajid Akram had travelled to Davao City in the Philippines from November 1 to November 28, just weeks before the attack. The area is known as a hotspot for Islamic State activity, and police believe he may have undergone military-style training there. Two other men from Sydney who visited the same region at the same time are now under investigation.Before the attack, the father-son duo reportedly told family members they were going on a weekend fishing trip to Jervis Bay. Instead, they opened fire from a pedestrian footbridge near Campbell Parade, targeting participants of the Jewish Chanukah by the Sea festival, as well as locals and tourists in the area. Loud bangs were heard, and people were seen fleeing for their lives.Investigations are ongoing into how the Akram men obtained high-powered weapons. Police discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the shooters’ vehicle and conducted raids across Sydney, including Naveed Akram’s home in Bonnyrigg. Sajid was originally from Hyderabad and held an Indian passport. He moved to Australia in 1998 and had limited contact with his family back home. His body remains in the morgue in the Coroner’s office as of now.The Bondi Beach shooting was treated as an act of terror by the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Israeli PM Netanyahu had earlier warned his Australian counterpart of growing anti-semitism and Jewish hate in the country.

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If demography can be a dividend, geography certainly decides its destiny. Few landscapes illustrate this more clearly than the Aravalli Range, an ancient chain of hills that quietly shapes water security, climate, and life across western and northwestern India.The hills that run for nearly 690 km from Gujarat through Rajasthan and Haryana to Delhi, forming the oldest fold mountain system in the subcontinent, have become the center of a long-running environmental and legal debate.At the heart of the issue is a simple but emotive question. What exactly counts as the Aravalli range? The answer matters because this classification determines which areas can be mined, built upon, or conserved.Also read | ‘Part of our identity, culture’: Tribal communities pledge to save Aravallis

A recent ruling by the Supreme Court has accepted a “standard definition” proposed by the central government to identify what qualifies as the Aravalli Hills. While the move was intended to bring clarity to long-standing disputes, the definition’s limited ecological lens has raised fresh concerns about environmental protection and sustainable development.Why the controversy?In November, the Supreme Court agreed with a proposal by the central government on how the Aravalli hills should be officially identified. The court said that only those hills that rise at least 100 metres above the surrounding land, or groups of such hills located close to each other, will be considered part of the Aravalli range for regulatory purposes.

What the SC decided on Aravalli

The court also asked the Union government to carefully map the region and prepare a clear plan for managing it. This plan will include rules on where mining can take place and how it should be regulated. The aim is to remove confusion caused by different government records and maps, which have often led to disputes and court cases in the past.Why the Aravallis matterEnvironmental experts maintain the significance of the Aravalli hills is not about how tall they are, but about what they do. The hills work like a natural water storage system, with their rocky structure allowing rainwater to slowly seep underground and refill aquifers. These aquifers supply water to many towns in Rajasthan and big cities such as Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Alwar. Studies even show that large-scale mining and cutting of hills damage this process, leading to long-term loss of groundwater.The Aravallis also help slow the spread of the Thar Desert towards eastern India. Scientists warn that if the hills continue to be damaged, desertification could increase, along with dust storms and extreme heat in the Indo-Gangetic plains.Although the region is dry, the Aravalli hills support forests, scrubland and grasslands. These habitats are home to wildlife such as leopards, hyenas, nilgai and many bird species. Conservationists say these ecosystems are fragile and can be easily broken apart by mining and construction.History of legal tussleThe current controversy is primarily rooted in decades of judicial scrutiny. Since the 1980s, courts have intervened repeatedly to curb unregulated mining in the Aravalli belt, particularly in Rajasthan and Haryana. Multiple Supreme Court orders in the 1990s and early 2000s restricted mining in notified forest areas, citing environmental degradation, air pollution and public health risks. However, enforcement remained weak due to the absence of a universally accepted definition of what constituted the Aravalli range. Mining operators and developers often argued that certain hillocks or plateaus did not legally qualify as Aravallis, even if they were ecologically linked to the system. This ambiguity reportedly created administrative paralysis and prolonged litigation, prompting the Centre to seek a standardised definition.The logic behind the new definitionGovernment officials and legal experts defending the Supreme Court’s ruling argue that the elevation-based criterion introduces clarity into a highly subjective domain. They say that by setting a measurable threshold, authorities can avoid arbitrary decisions and reduce disputes over land classification.In its observation, the top court acknowledged the need to balance environmental protection with economic realities. Mining of stone and minerals in the Aravalli region supports livelihoods and supplies essential materials for construction and infrastructure. A blanket ban, the SC noted, could have severe economic consequences if not backed by clear scientific and legal parameters.Why the criticism?The ruling has drawn criticism from ecologists, hydrologists, and civil society groups who believe that the 100-meter threshold oversimplifies a complex landscape like the Aravalli.They point out that many ecologically critical features of the Aravalli system, including recharge zones, wildlife corridors and low-lying ridges, do not meet the elevation criterion but are vital to the range’s environmental function. Excluding these areas from automatic protection, critics say, could open the door to expanded mining and construction.Experts also warn that mining impacts are cumulative, as even shallow or small-scale extraction can permanently alter drainage patterns and soil stability, consequently reducing the land’s ability to absorb rainfall. In arid and semi-arid regions, such damage is often irreversible.

Experts on Aravalli

Once this order is implemented in full force, which is for mining purposes, environmentalist Vimlendu Jha said, “tomorrow it could be real estate or other things that could begin in the region, which is also the main fear of the locals of the entire region.”Disagreeing with the new definition of Aravalli, Jha said, “the mountain is not just a piece of rock assembled together. Aravalli, which is the oldest mountain range in the world, is also an ecosystem.” He said, “If mining is allowed…Aravalli, which is above the ground, is also under the ground. So it’s not just the tree cover, green cover, or the national dust shield or weather shield it provides, but at the end of the day, temperature and air quality between Thar and Delhi are maintained because of the shield of the Aravalli.“Shedding light on the risk arising from the new definition that “lifts the protection,” he said, risk is that all of this will be a large-scale plundering of this area and not just by mining, but also by other areas like real estate.“Once we start calling it a forest and not a range, and it falls under a semi-urban landscape or rural landscape rather than a protected landscape, it will be open for any kind of exploitation through economic-commercial activity,” he told TOI.

On the impact on the Delhi-NCR region, which witnesses toxic-air-driven health hazards every year, Jha said, “Firstly, desertification increases when we compromise with the buffer we have. Secondly, when the dust increases, the PM10 level we have in the Delhi-NCR is pathetic and therefore the risk or the intensity of air quality increases. Aravalli’s entire area is also the main water recharge table, so the water sufficiency of the region is also questioned because of mining.“Magasaysay awardee Rajendra Singh, known as the “Waterman of India,” said earlier governments and courts took nature and environmental issues seriously, but that approach has disappeared.“If this decision, meant to benefit one individual, is implemented, only 7-8 per cent of the Aravalli will survive,” he told news agency PTI, calling for a legal battle as well as mass public mobilisation.The road aheadThe Supreme Court’s directive to conduct scientific mapping is now seen as the critical next step. Environmental lawyers say the outcome will depend on how comprehensively the mapping exercise incorporates hydrology, biodiversity and geomorphology, rather than focusing solely on elevation. Transparency will also be key.Civil society groups have demanded that maps and management plans be made public and subjected to independent scientific review. Without such safeguards, they argue, the process risks becoming a procedural formality rather than a tool for genuine conservation.At its core, the Aravalli debate reflects a broader challenge in India’s environmental governance. How to reconcile development pressures with the protection of natural systems that do not conform neatly to administrative boundaries or numerical thresholds.As climate stress intensifies and water scarcity deepens across north-west India, the fate of the Aravalli range carries implications far beyond the hills themselves. Whether the Supreme Court’s attempt at regulatory clarity strengthens or weakens environmental protection will depend on how the ruling is implemented on the ground, which ultimately remains at the mercy of bureaucracy.For now, India’s oldest mountain range stands at a crossroads, its fate being debated and defined by modern institutions that are only a moment in time compared to the ancient geology they now seek to regulate.

NEW DELHI: The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Sunday recorded a sweeping win in Maharashtra’s local body polls, winning elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats by securing 207 local body president posts and leaving the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi with a combined total of 44.As per the State Election Commission’s data, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 117 municipal presidents, followed by the Shiv Sena with 53 and the NCP with 37. On the opposition side, the Congress won 28 posts, Shiv Sena (UBT) nine, and the NCP (SP) seven.Other registered parties accounted for four additional posts, while 28 municipal president seats were won by unrecognised registered parties. Independents secured five posts, the Commission said. Counting of votes for 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, conducted in two phases, showed the BJP emerging as the single largest party. Earlier, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis reacting to the results said, “48 per cent councillors have been elected on the BJP symbol, which is a record. The BJP has created another record with 3,300 councillors being elected from the party. BJP candidates have been elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils. In 75 per cent of the local bodies, Mahayuti nominees have been elected as municipal presidents.” He attributed the success to the party organisation and the government’s development agenda, noting, “It is the team effort – the organisation and government. We fought the polls on the development plank. I led a positive campaign on the development agenda. I never criticised any political leader or party. I solicited votes on the development agenda, the work done by the government so far, and our blueprint for the future.”

PM Narendra Modi hailed the results of the local body polls saying people of Maharastra stand with development. He went on to congratulate the Mahayuti for the victory.In a post on X PM said, “Maharashtra stands firmly with development! Grateful to the people of Maharashtra for blessing the BJP and Mahayuti in the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections. This reflects trust in our vision of people-centric development. We remain committed to working with renewed energy to fulfil the aspirations of every citizen across the state. I laud the BJP and Mahayuti Karyakartas for their hardwork at the grassroots.“Mahayuti allies – including BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP – contested in some areas against each other. While opposition parties, mainly Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), conceded defeat and raised allegations. There were alliances as well as “friendly fights” among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents as well. .State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated winning candidates but added, in a comment, that the state election commission “helped” the ruling alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders accused the Mahayuti of using “money and muscle power” and alleged EVM tampering, PTI reported. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the victory of Mahayuti was because of “tampering” of EVMs. He added the opposition couldn’t withstand a “hailstorm” of money.His party colleague Ambadas Danve alleged “money and muscle power” shaped the Mahayuti win. “The Mahayuti has bagged a larger number of seats as compared to constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, thanks to the muscle and money power deployed by the ruling parties,” Danve told PTI in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. BJP state president Ravindra Chavan described the results as a “decisive mandate,” claiming Mahayuti had won more than 250 councils, nagar parishads, and nagar panchayats, with BJP candidates securing 134 council chief posts and over 3,000 councillor seats. “The Opposition levelled all kinds of allegations during the campaign, but people saw through them. Uddhav Thackeray himself said he had nothing to offer to the people and that is why his party was rejected. His party could not even win council chairperson posts in double digits,” Chavan claimed.He went on to say, “Now, Mumbaikars too would reject the opposition’s narrative in the upcoming BMC polls.” Union minister Nitin Gadkari called it an “overwhelming success” and “a victory for our workers.”While the Mahayuti largely dominated the elections, Congress and NCP retained control in some areas, including Chandrapur, Sangli, and Loha, with wins in Palghar for the Shiv Sena and in Nanded for Marathwada Janhit Party. Recounting was ordered in Kamptee municipal council after a narrow 116-vote BJP victory, officials said.(With inputs from agencies)