Click the Play button to listen to article

The Supreme Court has directed the Rajasthan government to formulate a comprehensive policy for extending financial assistance to industrial units seeking to establish Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plants.

The Court directed the state to consider applications for such assistance on a case-to-case basis pending formulation of the policy.

A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta passed the order in the suo motu proceedings concerning pollution in the Jojari-Luni-Bandi river system, which has affected the environment and the lives of approximately 20 lakh people.

“The State of Rajasthan shall formulate a comprehensive policy for extending financial assistance to industrial units desirous of establishing ZLD plants. Pending formulation of such policy, the State shall duly consider applications seeking financial assistance for the establishment of ZLD plants and the associated pipeline network on a case-to-case basis, upon due technical appraisal and verification, and take an appropriate decision expeditiously”, the Court ordered.

The Court directed the State to consider applications seeking financial assistance for establishing ZLD plants and associated pipeline networks upon technical appraisal and verification, and take appropriate decisions expeditiously.

It further directed Rajasthan to establish an appropriate redistribution pipeline network for conveying and reusing treated wastewater and RO permeate, facilitating optimum utilisation by industrial units and minimising the discharge of effluents into the river systems.

The State has to examine the technical and financial requirements for establishing such a network and prepare a time-bound implementation plan.

“The State of Rajasthan shall take necessary steps to establish an appropriate redistribution pipeline network for the conveyance and reuse of treated wastewater and RO permeate, so as to facilitate its optimum utilisation by industrial units and minimise the discharge of effluents into the river systems. The State shall examine the technical and financial requirements for establishing such a network and prepare a time-bound plan for its implementation”, the Cour directed.

The Court passed the directions due to concerns raised by the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee over inadequate progress in establishing and augmenting Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and ZLD facilities in the Jodhpur, Pali and Balotra industrial clusters.

The Committee observed that administrative assurances and projected completion dates could not substitute for treatment capacity commensurate with the volume of industrial effluent generated.

While acknowledging the proposed 4 MLD ZLD facility at Jodhpur as an immediate remedial measure, the Committee emphasised that it could not, by itself, fulfil the larger obligation of achieving complete ZLD.

It thus recommended that the CETP Trust, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and State Government ensure 100% ZLD compliance at CETP, Sangaria, Jodhpur, within a time-bound framework.

The Committee also stressed effective monitoring of all CETP/ZLD projects, periodic reporting of physical progress and accountability for delays to ensure timely creation of adequate treatment capacity.

During the hearing, the Justice Mehta had said that the State cannot shift the entire responsibility for restoring the rivers to industries and municipal bodies, particularly when its own authorities had failed to discharge their regulatory obligations.

“For reviving the industries and for establishing these ZLD plants, the state has to cough up something. That is a part of the polluter pays. You are equally responsible for the pollution. We are telling you, by closing your eyes or rather supporting this illegal activity, the state is privy to this polluting activity. So you have now to support these efforts of setting up the ZLDs”, he said.

He said that the State would have to contribute towards establishing treatment facilities and redistributing pipelines to enable treated water to be recirculated to industries. Industrial units would also have to contribute, but the State is expected to provide financial assistance, he said.

“Ultimately, the polluter pays principle will apply equally to the state as well as to the industries. So, as the state and its officials have apparently failed to discharge their obligations, we'll cast first burden on the state now”, he said.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 27, 2026.

Tags: