“Extent Of Damage Serious”: Supreme Court Reviews 202-Page Report On Rajasthan’s Jojari River Contamination
The Supreme Court reviewed a 202-page interim report submitted by a court-appointed committee on contamination of the Jojari River and sought a digital copy to circulate among counsels while flagging damage caused by stagnant polluted water
Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta reviewed a 202-page interim report in the suo motu case on contamination of Rajasthan’s Jojari River
The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of an interim report submitted by a court-appointed committee in the suo motu case concerning contamination of Rajasthan’s Jojari River and expressed concern over the damage caused to public infrastructure due to stagnant polluted water.
The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing the matter, which relates to environmental degradation and pollution of the river.
During the hearing, the Court referred to the interim report submitted by the committee that had been constituted pursuant to the Court’s order dated November 21, 2025 to examine issues relating to the contamination of the river and the steps required for its restoration.
According to the Court, the committee has submitted an extensive interim report running into nearly 202 pages.
The report, the Court noted, has been structured in multiple sections detailing the actions taken so far, the recommendations made by the committee, and the logistical challenges encountered during the course of its work.
“The committee constituted in pursuance of the order dated November 21, 2025 has forwarded an interim report which runs into nearly 202 pages. The committee has given its report in different compartments highlighting the actions taken, the recommendations made and the logistic issues faced by it in completing the task,” the bench recorded in its order.
Taking note of the voluminous nature of the report, the Court requested the Chairperson of the committee to provide a digital copy so that it could be circulated among all counsel appearing in the case.
“We request the Chairperson of the committee to forward a soft copy of the report so it can be provided to all counsels,” the Court directed.
The bench also took note of certain logistical constraints flagged by the committee, including issues related to the availability of human resources required for completing the assigned work.
During the proceedings, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) appearing for the State of Rajasthan assured the Court that the issue regarding the non-availability of human resources would be addressed by the State government before the next date of hearing.
The Court also expressed concern over the impact of stagnant polluted water in the affected areas and deprecated the State over the extent of damage caused to public infrastructure.
The suo motu proceedings before the Supreme Court relate to the environmental concerns surrounding contamination in the Jojari River, which flows through parts of Rajasthan and has been affected by industrial discharge and other pollutants.
By constituting the committee last year, the Court had sought a detailed assessment of the environmental damage, the measures required to control pollution, and the steps needed for restoration of the river ecosystem.
On November 17, the Bench had come down heavily on state authorities while hearing a suo motu matter concerning rising pollution levels in rivers across Rajasthan.
The Bench had expressed strong displeasure over what it described as administrative inaction despite clear evidence of environmental degradation. “What has happened is under your nose and with the connivance of all authorities. There is no other way,” Justice Mehta had remarked, signalling the court’s frustration with the state’s failure to curb contamination of major water bodies.
Previously on September 15, the Court had initiated the suo moto proceedings and had noted that the contamination was affecting hundreds of villages along the river and rendering the drinking water non-potable for local communities.
The Bench had considered the reports of widespread pollution, noting that the environmental and health impacts were severe and required immediate judicial attention. It had directed that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai for appropriate orders, indicating the possibility of constituting a larger Bench or forming a monitoring committee to oversee remedial action. The Court had emphasized that the situation required urgent intervention from both the State Government of Rajasthan and relevant Central authorities to prevent further harm to the affected population and ensure that industries comply with environmental regulations.