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Supreme Court Cracks Down on Toxic Rivers: Special Courts, ZLD Mandate for Rajasthan Polluters
In a scathing indictment of systemic environmental neglect, the , in a bench led by Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta , has unleashed a barrage of interim orders to revive the dying Jojari River system in Rajasthan. Triggered by a amid appeals challenging a ruling, the order exposes industrial effluents and sewage turning lifelines into poison, violating citizens' right to clean water and a pollution-free life.
From Flowing Lifeline to Toxic Drain: The Jojari Catastrophe Unfolds
The saga began with the NGT's final order targeting contamination in the Jojari River—a key tributary of the Luni system—spanning Jodhpur, Pali, and Balotra districts. Textile hubs dumped untreated effluents, overwhelming Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The Supreme Court, in , partially stayed the NGT's penalties on but formed the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee (HLEOC) under retired Judge Justice Sangeet Lodha to oversee restoration.
By , the Committee's status report painted a horrifying picture: CETPs operating below capacity while industries bypassed them via tankers and illegal drains; sewage gaps leaving 55 MLD untreated in Jodhpur alone; dead Babul trees signaling toxic floods; submerged schools, 400-year-old wells poisoned; and vast farmlands salinized, crippling livestock and livelihoods.
Apathy vs. Action: State's Defense Faces Committee Fire
The State of Rajasthan, represented by Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma , highlighted steps like Graded Response Roster Plans (GRRP), 1,632 inspections, closures of 110 illegal units, and Rs. 1.33 crore in fines. RIICO touted a 23-km effluent pipeline by . Yet the HLEOC report shredded these claims, revealing persistent tanker hauls (banned since ), non-operational CETPs in Pali, hazardous sludge dumps, and misuse of facilities like Balotra's HRTS ponds for storage, not treatment.
The Court noted administrative foot-dragging, like delayed support for the Committee, underscoring a "prolonged and systemic failure" by , RIICO, and local bodies.
Cover-Ups in the Riverbed: Evidence of Deliberate Deception
Field inspections uncovered blatant sabotage: fresh soil dumped at Pali's NH-62 bridge and Balotra's Ambey Valley to mask sludge; tyre tracks from heavy vehicles ploughing riverbeds pre-inspection.
"Such acts... reflect a conscious attempt to manipulate ground realities and present a sanitised picture before the Committee,"
the bench thundered, integrating reports of these concealment tactics that undermine oversight.
This echoed broader findings of CETPs idling while effluents flooded rivers, bypassing infrastructure—a
"total collapse of regulatory mechanisms."
in Peril: Water is Life, Courts Affirm
Drawing from
, the Court reaffirmed water as
"the essence for human survival,"
integral to
. Contaminated groundwater forced tanker reliance—irregular and risky—denying potable water. Impacts rippled: infertile cattle, failed crops (5% Isabgol survival in Pali), submerged 800 bighas pasture in Balotra.
The bench rejected estimation-based effluent tracking, mandating machinery-based systems for transparency.
Punchy Directives: No More Excuses, Time for ZLD Revolution
The Court's 18-point interim blueprint endorses HLEOC's 26 directions and adds muscle:
- Special Courts : to establish fast-track benches in Jodhpur, Pali, Balotra for prosecutions.
- ZLD Enforcement : Upgrade all CETPs/ETPs/STPs; close violators, no restart without SC nod for repeat offenders.
- Infrastructure Blitz : Expedite Salawas CETP (42,000 sqm land idle); complete 23-km RIICO pipeline; restore Jojari's natural flow.
- Crackdown : Seal discharge points; ban tankers with seizures; no consents near rivers; close illegal units on farmland.
- Relief Measures : Multi-disciplinary panel for health/eco assessments; restoration fund; CSR from ; sustainable potable water.
- Accountability : Nodal agency for CETPs; fix erring officials; reconstituted NGT joint committee.
HLEOC must report by .
A New Dawn for Polluted Waters?
These orders signal zero tolerance for "sustained neglect," potentially reshaping enforcement via ZLD, real-time monitoring (SCADA/IoT), and "." For Rajasthan's 2 million at risk, it promises cleaner rivers, safe water, and justice—but only if implemented with the urgency the Court demands. Future polluters beware: bypassing treatment while facilities idle won't fly anymore.
