SC sets up panel to deal with contamination of Jojari-Bandi-Luni river system in Rajasthan

Pulling up the Rajasthan Government for failing to take measures to restore the Jojari–Bandi–Luni river system in Western Rajasthan, the Supreme Court has set up a High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee to prepare a comprehensive, time-bound River Restoration and Rejuvenation Blueprint for the entire river system and ensure its phased implementation.

“The constitution of this Committee is necessitated by the scale of the harm, the complexity of the remedial actions required, and the imperative of ensuring sustained institutional oversight so that the directions of the National Green Tribunal, as well as those of this Court, are implemented in both letter and spirit,” a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta said in its November 21 order.

Headed by Justice Sangeet Lodha, a former Rajasthan High Court Judge, the committee included advocate Pankaj Sharma of the Rajasthan High Court; a Technical Expert of repute in the fields of water management, pollution control and/or environmental engineering to be identified and appointed by the Chairperson; Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment & Climate Change of the Rajasthan Government; Joint Secretary, Urban Development and Housing Department, Government of Rajasthan;  Joint Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Rajasthan; Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board or his/her nominee; Member Secretary, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) or his/her nominee; Managing Director, Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Ltd. (RIICO); Director, Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP); and District Collectors of Jodhpur, Pali and Balotra, the Bench said.

Asking the High-Level Oversight Committee to file a status report, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 27, 2026.

“The continuing contamination of the river system and the adjoining areas, poses a direct and serious threat to these constitutionally protected rights of millions of residents in the region. It is therefore imperative that the remedial framework devised by the National Green Tribunal, strengthened by the oversight mechanism established through this judgment, is implemented with urgency, fidelity and resolve,” the top court said.

“The State and all concerned authorities shall act with the seriousness that the constitutional guarantee of life and health demands, ensuring that the environmental integrity of the region is restored and protected for present and future generations,” it said.

“We are pained to observe that these remedial measures have been triggered by the suo motu cognizance taken by this Court vide order dated 16^th September, 2025, whereas the State should have acted spontaneously years ago, for ensuring around the clock compliances which is the constitutional obligation of the State Government and the concerned authorities,” said the top court which had taken suo motu cognizance of the issue.