Supreme Court Directs Rajasthan Government To Set Up Integrated Coordination Group, River Authority For Jojari-Bandi-Luni Restoration
The Apex Court said the issues before it could not be addressed through isolated interventions and required a coordinated, multidisciplinary and sustained approach involving State departments, scientific institutions and regulatory authorities.
Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has directed the State of Rajasthan to constitute, within seven days, an Integrated Coordination Group headed by the Chief Secretary and to set up an independent River Commission/River Rejuvenation Authority to streamline the restoration of the Jojari-Bandi-Luni river ecosystem.
The Court further directed the State to establish a QR Code-based environmental grievance platform for reporting illegal effluent discharge, groundwater extraction, riverbed encroachments, hazardous waste dumping and allied violations affecting the river system.
The Court was hearing the matter concerning contamination in the Jojari River, along with connected civil appeals, after considering the Second Status Report of the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee, the Special Investigation Team’s report, and the compliance material filed by the State of Rajasthan pursuant to earlier directions.
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, after examining the material placed on the record, observed that “certain further directions have become imperative to ensure effective implementation of the measures already initiated, secure institutional coordination amongst the concerned authorities, and facilitate the long-term restoration and protection of the riverine ecosystem and the environment in the State of Rajasthan.”
SV Raju, A.S.G., Archna Pathak Dave, A.S.G., along with Shiv Mangal Sharma, A.A.G., appeared in the matter.
Background
The proceedings arose from grave concerns over contamination of the Jojari River and connected river systems in Rajasthan. In its earlier order, the Court had taken note of material indicating widespread contamination of water bodies, discharge of untreated industrial effluents, degradation of groundwater, agricultural lands and wildlife habitats, possible encroachments on riverbeds and floodplains, deficiencies in identifying High Flood Line and buffer zones, and systemic failures in regulatory enforcement.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the Jojari River contamination issue involving risk to nearly two million lives, and subsequently issued stringent directions concerning river pollution, criminal accountability and environmental restoration.
Pursuant to the Court’s previous directions, the State filed a Special Investigation Team report and a comprehensive compliance report. The SIT stated that it had reviewed 16 criminal cases relating to riverine pollution in Jodhpur, Pali and Balotra, invoked graver offences wherever a prima facie case existed, arrested certain persons, and was examining documentary, oral and digital material, including CCTV footage, photographs and videography.
The State also placed material concerning remedial action at Tanawada, Sanganer-Dravyavati-Nevta, Morel Dam, Ambey Valley, Khed HRTS/SEP, Nehda Dam, CETP Sangariya, and proposed measures for restoration of the Luni, Jojari and Bandi rivers. It further submitted that the Chief Secretary had convened a meeting of departments and stakeholder associations to review the implementation of the Court’s directions.
Court’s Observations
Upon an complehensive examination of the report and other relevant material placed on the record, the Aoex Court observed that the material before it showed severe degradation of the riverine ecosystem and that the issues could not be addressed through fragmented departmental action.
The Court observed: “Having bestowed our anxious consideration to the trajectory of the present proceedings over the last nine months, the successive reports submitted by the Committee, the comprehensive replies and compliance reports placed on record by the State of Rajasthan, and the submissions advanced by the learned counsel appearing for the respective parties, we are of the considered opinion that the material placed on record clearly demonstrates severe degradation of the riverine ecosystem, contamination of water bodies, illegal discharge of industrial effluents, deficiencies in land-use regulation, challenges related to the protection of wildlife habitats and restoration of the affected ecology.”
It added: “The nature and complexity of these issues necessitate a coordinated, multidisciplinary and institutional response extending across different administrative levels of the State Government.”
The Court accordingly found it necessary to create an Integrated Coordination Group involving departments such as Environment, Forest, Water Resources, Urban Development, Industries, Revenue, Local Self Government, Agriculture, the RSPCB and other authorities.
The Court emphasised that restoration of the Jojari-Bandi-Luni river system required scientific identification and protection of the river corridor. It recorded that the absence of a scientifically determined High Flood Line and ecological buffer zones had facilitated industrial development, riverbed encroachment and floodplain degradation.
The Court stated: “The reports of the Committee, demonstrates that effective rejuvenation of the Jojari-Bandi-Luni river system cannot be achieved unless the river corridor is scientifically identified, mapped and protected.”
It further directed that the State undertake a comprehensive scientific exercise for demarcation of the High Flood Line and ecological buffer zones for river systems across Rajasthan, in consultation with the Committee and expert institutions. Until completion of that exercise, the Court said no fresh permissions facilitating industrial, commercial or residential development within identified river corridors shall be granted by any department, statutory authority or local body.
Finding that the environmental degradation reflected the absence of an integrated river basin governance framework, the Court directed Rajasthan to constitute an independent River Commission/River Rejuvenation Authority.
The Court observed: “The present proceedings have also revealed that the environmental degradation affecting the river system is not merely the result of isolated violations by individual industries but reflects the absence of an integrated institutional framework for river basin governance.”
The Authority has been directed to oversee conservation, rejuvenation and integrated management of rivers, river basins and catchment areas, including scientific determination and demarcation of High Flood Line, protection of riverine ecosystems and coordinated river basin governance throughout the State.
The Court noted that excessive dependence on Common Effluent Treatment Plants had caused operational overload and environmental risks. It directed the State and RSPCB to examine decentralised treatment options, including captive effluent treatment plants for industrial units generating 100 KLD or more of industrial effluents, wherever technically and economically feasible.
At the same time, the Court cautioned that captive treatment could not replace robust common treatment infrastructure. It called for maximising utilisation and operational efficiency of existing CETPs, completing conveyance infrastructure, and examining additional CETPs in appropriate clusters for small and medium industrial units.
The Court also addressed concerns over the proposed RIICO Industrial Area at Kakani, noting material indicating proximity to the Luni River and portions allegedly falling within the apparent High Flood Area. It directed that after scientific demarcation of the High Flood Line and ecological buffer, the Integrated Coordination Group, in consultation with the Committee, must review the layout and take corrective measures if necessary.
The Court further directed an inquiry by the Chief Secretary into land-use conversions, approvals and allotments concerning Ambey Valley Industrial Park, where the Committee had noticed prima facie irregularities relating to the conversion of agricultural land, deviation from the Master Plan, issuance of pattas for industrial purposes in areas earmarked for residential use, and alleged development of industrial plots near or within riverbed and high flood areas.
The Court directed the State of Rajasthan to formulate a comprehensive strategy for sustainable groundwater management, including regulation of industrial groundwater extraction, reuse and recycling of treated wastewater, recharge measures, and periodic assessment of groundwater levels and quality.
It also emphasised: “… no industries which are water intensive shall be henceforth permitted in areas which have been identified as dark zones (over-exploited zones) with reference to the groundwater availability.”
The Court further directed expeditious transfer of ecologically significant lands near Dhawa and Doli villages to the Forest Department for development and preservation as forest and grassland ecosystems. It also ordered a comprehensive survey to identify encroachments and illegal mining sites within riverbeds, High Flood Line and ecological buffer zones of the Jojari-Bandi-Luni system.
The Court also recorded that the material collected prima facie indicated connivance among CETP officials and member industrial units in facilitating the discharge of untreated industrial effluents by bypassing the prescribed treatment process.
The Court stated: “The investigation shall not remain confined to the immediate acts of illegal discharge of untreated industrial effluents but shall go to the root of the matter by identifying the complete chain of events, the decision-making processes, the financial and institutional mechanisms employed, and the involvement of all persons, whether private individuals, industrial entities or public officials.”
The SIT was directed to intensify investigation in all pending criminal cases, examine the role of public servants, industrial units, CETP office-bearers and others against whom credible material emerges, and take action strictly in accordance with law.
The Court directed the State to establish an Integrated Public Reporting and Environmental Grievance Redressal Mechanism with a QR Code-based digital platform.
The Court directed: “The platform shall enable any person having credible information to report instances of illegal discharge of industrial effluents, unauthorised operation of industrial units, illegal extraction of groundwater, encroachments upon riverbeds, illegal dumping of hazardous waste, destruction of wildlife habitats and any other environmental violations by uploading photographs, videos, geo-tagged information or such other electronic material as may be necessary.”
The mechanism, the Court underscored, must allow confidential reporting, generate a unique complaint registration number, transmit complaints electronically to jurisdictional authorities, including RSPCB, District Administration, Police and Forest Department, and permit digital monitoring of action taken.
The State was also directed to examine an incentive scheme for credible information leading to the detection of serious environmental violations, while protecting informants’ identities.
The Court further directed the State to place details of action taken or proposed against the responsible RSPCB officers before the Committee within three days.
Conclusion
The matters were directed to be listed on September 22, 2026, as part-heard for considering the Comprehensive Resolution Plan.
Cause Title: In Re: 2 Million Lives At Risk, Contamination In Jojari River, Rajasthan (Neutral Citation: 2026 INSC 812)
Appearances
By Court’s Motion: S.V. Raju, ASG; Archna Pathak Dave, A.S.G., Shiv Mangal Sharma, AAG Rajastan; Nikhil Jain, AOR; Divya Jain, Arveen Sekhon, Advocates; Saurabh Rajpal, AOR; M/s Aura & Co., AOR
Respondents: Arushi Rathore, Advocate; Sudarshan Lamba, AOR; Harshita Choubey, Aditya Shankar Dixit, Udit Dedhiya, Varun Chug, Rohan Gupta, Avishkar Singhvi, Neil Chatterjee, Abhinav Srivastav, Utsav Saxena, Ria Bansal, Advocates; Gurmeet Singh Makker, AOR; M/s Trilegal Advocates On Record, AOR; K. Paari Vendhan, AOR; Rishabh Sancheti, Padma Priya, Digvijay Singh, Nishant Kumar, Aquib Ali Khan, Poornima Gupta, Dhaval Gaur, Advocates; Milind Kumar, AOR; Sapna Bhardwaj, Bhuvnesh Vyas, Jatin Arora, Advocates; Siddharth Praveen Acharya, AOR; Avijit Roy, AOR; Vinay Kothari, Mehul Kothari, Mahima Pandey, Advocates; Alabhya Dhamija, AOR; Azmat Hayat Amanullah, AOR; Arpit Gupta, AOR; Chandrika Prasad Mishra, AOR; Prashasti Singh, Ankit Pandey, Swati Surbhi, Harshita Bhardwaj, Anushree Singh, Advocates; Nishant Awana, AOR; Sarvesh Bisaria, Prakash Chandra Sharma, Advocates; Nishant Bhardwaj, AOR; Raghunatha Sethupathy B, AOR