The Supreme Court has directed the Rajasthan Government to formulate a comprehensive policy for providing financial assistance to industrial units seeking to establish Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plants.
Observing that the state must share responsibility for addressing industrial pollution in the Jojari-Luni-Bandi River system, a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta further directed the state to consider applications from industrial units seeking financial assistance for setting up ZLD plants and associated pipeline networks on a case-to-case basis until the proposed policy is formulated.
Such applications must be examined through proper technical appraisal and verification, with decisions taken expeditiously,” it said in a recent order. The bench issued the directions while hearing suo motu proceedings concerning pollution in the Jojari-Luni-Bandi River system, which has severely 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,” the bench directed.
It said pending the formulation of the policy, applications for financial assistance should be considered individually after due technical scrutiny and verification. It also directed the Rajasthan Government to take necessary steps to establish an appropriate redistribution pipeline network for the conveyance and reuse of treated waste water and reverse osmosis (RO) permeate. The network is intended to facilitate optimum utilisation of treated water by industrial units and minimise the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated effluents into the river system, it said.