The Supreme Court of India has instructed the Rajasthan government to develop a comprehensive policy providing financial support to industrial units installing Zero Liquid Discharge, or ZLD, facilities. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta issued these directives during suo motu proceedings addressing contamination in the Jojari-Luni-Bandi waterways, which impacts approximately two million residents. According to LiveLaw, the court mandated that the state evaluate applications for ZLD assistance on a case-by-case basis until the formal policy is finalized, ensuring technical appraisal and verification guide each decision.
The judicial order also requires Rajasthan to construct a redistribution pipeline network designed to transport and reuse treated wastewater and reverse osmosis permeate. This infrastructure aims to optimize water utilization by industrial sectors while reducing effluent discharge into local rivers. The state must assess the technical and financial needs of this network and draft a time-bound implementation plan. These directions followed observations by the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee regarding slow progress in establishing Common Effluent Treatment Plants and ZLD facilities across the Jodhpur, Pali, and Balotra industrial zones.
The oversight committee noted that administrative assurances and projected completion dates were insufficient to match the total volume of industrial effluent produced. While acknowledging a proposed four million liters per day ZLD facility in Jodhpur as an immediate step, the committee emphasized that this single facility could not achieve complete ZLD compliance on its own. Consequently, it recommended that the CETP Trust, the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, and the state government ensure full ZLD compliance at the Sangaria facility within a defined timeframe, accompanied by effective monitoring and periodic progress reporting.
During the hearing, Justice Mehta argued that the state cannot shift the entire burden of river restoration to industries and municipal bodies, especially when its own regulatory authorities had failed to meet their obligations. He stated that the state must contribute financially to establish treatment facilities and pipelines, noting that "You are equally responsible for the pollution." The judge explained that while the polluter pays principle applies to both the state and industries, the initial burden falls on the state due to its prior regulatory lapses. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 27, 2026.