NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday while hearing a case of pollution of three rivers in Rajasthan said that massive public infrastructure was destroyed and damaged because officers were “dragging their feet”.
The court was hearing a suo motu case related to pollution in the Gujari River. She also referred to the issue of pollution in the Bandi and Loni rivers in the state.
The Supreme Court had in November last year constituted a high-level ecosystem monitoring committee to detect underlying diseases in the system, oversee necessary remedial measures to stop further pollution and make long-term suggestions to reverse the damage already done.
While hearing the matter on Tuesday, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the committee had submitted its interim report.
The bench told the lawyer representing Rajasthan that there are serious problems in the way the state is providing the required facilities and assistance to the committee.
“Enormous public infrastructure was damaged and destroyed because officers were dragging their feet,” the council said, adding that many factories were operating without a permit.
The state’s counsel assured the panel that the issues noted by the panel regarding the provision of appropriate logistical support would be taken care of by the state by the time of the next hearing.
The authority indicated that the committee submitted its report in various sections, highlighting the measures taken, recommendations made, and the logistical issues it faced in completing the task entrusted to it.
The Supreme Court adjourned the case for hearing on March 17.
In its order passed in November last year, the Supreme Court said pollution in the Gujari, Bandi and Loni rivers reflected a sustained “systematic breakdown” of regulatory vigilance and “utter administrative apathy” extending over nearly two decades.
The bench said: “The present proceedings involve issues of grave concern and disastrous consequences, such as the repercussions of indifference at all levels which have endangered the lives of two million people, animals and the ecosystem of three important rivers in western Rajasthan.”
I noticed that the Gujari River passes through Jodhpur, the Bandi River flows through Bali, and the Loni River passes through Balotra. The Bandi and Gujari rivers merge into the Loni River near the city of Balotra.
Referring to the general terms of reference of the committee, the Supreme Court said that the committee must prepare a scientifically based and time-bound restoration and renewal plan for the river system.
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