Supreme Court Orders SIT Probe Into Illegal Mining & Sets 500m Industrial Buffer in Jojari River Pollution Case (2026 INSC 1203)
Court category: Supreme Court
Court / details: Supreme Court of India
Location: New Delhi / Jodhpur / Pali / Balotra
In Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) No. 8 of 2025 (2026 INSC 1203), the Supreme Court directed Rajasthan to form an IG-headed SIT against illegal bajri mining along the Luni, Jojari, and Bandi rivers, barred Red Category industries within 500m, and clarified NGT's appellate jurisdiction.
CASE DETAILS AT A GLANCE
Case Title: In Re: 2 Million Lives at Risk, Contamination in Jojari River, Rajasthan
Court Name: Supreme Court of India (Inherent / Civil Appellate Jurisdiction)
Coram / Judges: Supreme Court Bench (Order signed by Sandeep Mehta, J.)
Case Number: Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) No. 8 of 2025
Neutral Citation: 2026 INSC 1203
Order Date: 26.10.2026
1. Executive Summary
Taking cognizance of severe industrial effluent discharge and organised illegal bajri (sand) mining threatening the Luni, Jojari, and Bandi river systems in Rajasthan, the Supreme Court in In Re: 2 Million Lives at Risk, Contamination in Jojari River, Rajasthan (2026 INSC 1203) issued sweeping preventive and investigative directions while clarifying the statutory appellate jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
2. Key Directions on River Protection & Illegal Mining
- Prohibition on New Units & Buffer Zones: Rajasthan is restrained from granting permission for new industrial units along the riverine ecosystem until High Flood Lines and buffer zones are scientifically determined. An additional 100-metre protective zone must be maintained on both sides of outer river boundaries, and no Red Category industry is permitted within 500 metres.
- IG-Headed Special Investigation Team (SIT): Rajasthan must constitute an SIT headed by an officer not below Inspector General of Police (including SPs of Jodhpur, Balotra, and Pali) to investigate organised illegal bajri mining, supply networks, beneficiaries, and any collusion by public officials.
- ZLD & Wastewater Reuse: The State must formulate a financial assistance policy for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plants and create a redistribution pipeline network for treated wastewater and RO permeate.
- CGWA Impleadment & Anonymous Complaints: The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was impleaded to report on groundwater depletion, and the grievance portal must accept anonymised complaints on illegal mining.
3. NGT Appellate Jurisdiction Preserved
Disposing of applications by Bherawa Textile Industries Pvt. Ltd., the Court clarified that its suo motu directions do not extinguish the NGT's statutory appellate jurisdiction under Section 16(c) of the NGT Act, 2010 to examine the legality of an independent Consent to Operate revocation order by the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, and permitted restoration of Appeal No. 14 of 2026 (CZ) on merits.
Citation: Supreme Court of India order in Suo Moto W.P.(C) No. 8 of 2025 (2026 INSC 1203). For environmental and writ litigation assistance, visit https://sklawhouse.com/practice or https://sklawhouse.com/contact-us.