Pollution in Jojari river: Pending appeals be heard together with suo motu case, says SC

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court has said that pending appeals against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in a matter relating to pollution in Jojari river in Rajasthan should be heard together with a suo motu case over contamination of the river.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order in the suo motu case titled 'In Re: 2 million lives at risk, contamination in Jojari river, Rajasthan'.

"Having considered the commonalities of issues which we propose to deal in the suo motu writ petition and the pending appeals, it would be expedient in the interest of justice to direct that these pending appeals... should be clubbed and heard together with the suo motu writ petition," the bench said in its order passed on Thursday.

It directed the apex court registry to place the papers before the Chief Justice of India for seeking direction of an analogous hearing for all these matters with the suo motu case.

The top court on September 16 took suo motu cognisance over the discharge of industrial waste in the river and said it was affecting hundreds of villages there.

In its order, the bench said it has holistically examined the materials provided to it and has researched for the orders which may have been passed in relation to the same issue.

It said numerous writ petitions were filed in the Rajasthan High Court for the very same environmental issue, and these pleas were ultimately transferred to the NGT.

The bench noted that a separate application was also filed before the NGT in respect of pollution in Jojari river.

"We may note that as per the topography of the area concerned, there are three rivers involved in this environmental disaster," it said.

The bench noted that river Luni originates in the Aravali range at Ajmer and flows through districts Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer and then dissipates into the Rann of Kutch.

It said river Bandi is a tributary to river Luni and runs through districts Pali, Jodhpur and Barmer and ultimately joins river Luni. The bench noted river Jojari flows within the boundaries of district Jodhpur.

It said the NGT had constituted a Special Task Force (STF) in an endeavour to control the industrial pollution created by textile and steel industries in Jodhpur and textile industries of Balotra and Pali districts, which are adjoining Jodhpur district.

The bench noted that in 2020, the STF was abolished and three separate monitoring committees were created to monitor pollution created by industries running in Jodhpur, Pali and Balotra districts.

It noted the monitoring committees gave its common final report in July 2021.

The top court said in February 2022, the NGT passed several directions in the matter.

Later, appeals were filed in the apex court against the NGT order.

While taking cognisance of the matter, the apex court had said the discharge of industrial waste, primarily from textile and other factories, in the river was affecting hundreds of villages.

The bench had said due to this, the drinking water was not potable there for humans as well as animals and this was affecting the health and other ecosystems there.

"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 top court said on September 16. PTI ABA ABA KSS KSS