Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of discharge of industrial waste in Rajasthan's Jojari river

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took a suo motu cognisance of the discharge of industrial waste in Jojari river in Rajasthan, affecting the human life and bio diversity in the area.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the discharge of industrial waste, primarily from textile and other factories, in the river was affecting hundreds of villages.

The bench said due to this, the drinking water was not potable there for humans as well as animals.

The court directed for registration of the suo motu case and ordered for placing the matter before the Chief Justice of India for appropriate orders.

"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 bench said.

According to reports, for nearly two decades, villages in Rajasthan suffered from the impacts of the polluted Jojari river. Experts said that the untreated chemicals from the steel and textile industries that flow into the river, affecting the bio diversity and the health of people, especially women.Jojari, a seasonal river, originated in Pandalu village of Nagaur and joins the Luni river in Balotra.

When it passed through the limits of Jodhpur, the polluted water filled with chemicals from the textile and steel industries of the city flowed into it.

Notably, the bench led by Justice Vikram Nath had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of lack of functional CCTVs. The same bench was also seized of a matter related to ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh due to unabated  constructions and other activities.