The Supreme Court on Monday sharply criticised the Rajasthan authorities for failing to curb pollution in the Jojari River, observing that the resulting hardship faced by nearly two million people was “unbelievable”.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the remarks while hearing a suo motu case on the contamination of the river, which receives industrial effluents from textile and other units in the region.
During the hearing, the bench expressed alarm at the ground situation. “The harsh reality that is going on at the spot is alarming. The suffering which has been caused to the people is unbelievable,” the court said.
The judges noted that common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) were being bypassed and untreated waste was being dumped directly into the river. “That is what is happening. Why should we exonerate the municipal bodies?” the bench asked.
Justice Mehta added that “what has happened is under the nose and with the connivance of all the officers concerned”.
The state’s counsel submitted that a status report had been filed. The bench said the report “virtually vindicates” earlier observations and pointed to a clear failure in controlling pollution, which has endangered the lives of two million residents.
The counsel informed the court that the municipal councils of Pali and Balotra, the Jodhpur Nagar Nigam and the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) have decided not to pursue their appeals against the National Green Tribunal’s February 2022 order. The NGT had issued “positive directions” regarding pollution in the Luni, Bandi and Jojari rivers.
RIICO’s appeal concerned an environmental compensation of ₹2 crore imposed by the tribunal.
The state’s counsel said that while the authorities would not press the appeals on the substantive directions, they requested the Supreme Court to keep pending the issue of the NGT’s adverse remarks and the costs imposed.
He added that the state wanted the top court to monitor the progress made so far.
The bench took the status report on record and said it would pass an order on November 21.
Earlier, on November 7, the court had asked the state to clarify whether RIICO and the three civic bodies intended to continue with their appeals. Last month, the Supreme Court had directed that all pending appeals against the NGT order be heard along with the suo motu proceedings.
The matter arises from the suo motu case titled In Re: 2 million lives at risk, contamination in Jojari River, Rajasthan. The court initiated the proceedings on September 16 after taking note of industrial waste—primarily from textile factories—being discharged into the river, affecting hundreds of villages.
The bench had then warned that drinking water in the region was unsafe for both humans and animals, with the contamination harming health and local ecosystems.
