The Supreme Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of the discharge of industrial effluents into the Jojari river in Rajasthan, raising alarm over the grave impact on drinking water and local ecosystems.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that the river has been severely polluted due to untreated waste released primarily by textile and tile factories. The bench noted that hundreds of villages dependent on the river for drinking water and cattle sustenance have been adversely affected.
“This court is taking suo motu cognisance with respect to river Marudhara Jojari, Rajasthan, where a lot of industrial waste primarily from textile and tile factories is being discharged, making hundreds of villages and the drinking water for animals and humans both not potable,” the bench said.
The court underlined that the contamination has caused health hazards for residents and damaged the surrounding ecosystem. It added that the matter deserves urgent attention to safeguard the right to clean water and a healthy environment.
The bench directed that the issue be placed before the Chief Justice of India for appropriate orders regarding follow-up action.
The suo motu intervention signals the top court’s concern over unchecked industrial pollution and its impact on rural communities in Rajasthan.
