SC pulls up Raj govt over ‘secret’ 4-km pipeline dumping toxic waste into Jojari river

Jaipur: The Supreme Court Friday came down heavily on the state govt and pollution control authorities over the existence of a 4-km-long concealed pipeline allegedly used to dump untreated industrial effluents into the Jojari River near Jodhpur, asking, “Who allowed this?” and even contemplating whether a CBI probe was warranted.

Hearing the matter concerning pollution in the Jojari-Bandi-Luni river system, a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta expressed concern after a court-appointed committee reported the discovery of an underground discharge network allegedly connected to textile industries operating through a Common Effluent Treatment Plant in Jodhpur.

The bench questioned “how such a massive illegal pipeline could function undetected despite continuous monitoring by the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board and state authorities”. The court also asked what local officials were doing while toxic industrial waste continued to pollute the river system.

Appearing for the state, Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma assured the apex court that strict action was initiated immediately after the illegal discharge came to light during an inspection conducted on May 27.

Sharma informed the bench that a special team from Jaipur was dispatched to Jodhpur, two Pollution Control Board officials were suspended, and senior officers were transferred. He said criminal proceedings and environmental compensation actions were also initiated.

Importantly, the AAG told the court that all 306 textile units connected to the Common Effluent Treatment Plant, along with the CETP itself, were shut due to pending investigation and rectification measures.

Addressing the court’s concerns regarding a possible central probe, Sharma submitted that the state would constitute a Special Investigation Team headed by a senior IPS officer to investigate the entire episode, including the role of industries, CETP management and govt officials. “There was no immediate need for a CBI investigation as the state was committed to a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on environmental violations,” he argued, while the court asked whether a CBI probe was warranted.

Aparna Arora, chairperson of Rajasthan Pollution Control Board, appearing through videoconferencing, assured the court that immediate steps were taken once the violations were detected and said illegal industrial activity would not be tolerated.

During the hearing, Justice Mehta remarked that “the scale of environmental degradation was deeply disturbing”, particularly in a matter that remained under judicial scrutiny for years.

The Supreme Court recorded the assurances given by the Rajasthan govt and observed that every individual involved in the illegal discharge — “from the lowest level to the highest” — must be identified and proceeded against.

The court took note of reports warning about extensive contamination across the Jojari-Bandi-Luni river system and the urgent need to remove toxic sludge before the onset of monsoon, cautioning that any delay could spread pollutants further into agricultural land, groundwater and nearby ecosystems.