Jaipur: The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) is set to assist in preparing a scientific restoration blueprint for the critically polluted Jojari -Bandi -Luni river system after receiving approval on July 3 from the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee constituted by the Supreme Court.The decision follows a meeting chaired by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DoE&CC) on the constitution and operationalisation of a Multi-Disciplinary Expert Assessment Panel for the scientific assessment of environmental issues related to the Pali Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), in compliance with the apex court’s directions.A senior official said the Supreme Court had in Nov 2025 constituted a High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee, chaired by a retired high court judge, to oversee restoration efforts. “Approval to appoint NEERI received a nod,” the official said, adding that the institute will help prepare the restoration framework for the river system.The development comes after the Supreme Court strongly criticised the authorities over their failure to control pollution in the Jojari River. Hearing a suo motu case, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta termed the situation “alarming” and said the suffering caused to nearly 2 million people was “unbelievable”.The court observed that Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) were being bypassed and untreated industrial effluents were being discharged directly into the river. It also remarked that the violations occurred “under the nose and with the connivance” of the officers concerned.During the hearing, the state informed the court that RIICO, the municipal councils of Pali and Balotra, and the Jodhpur Nagar Nigam would not pursue their appeals against the National Green Tribunal’s 2022 directions on pollution in the Jojari, Bandi and Luni rivers. The apex court has continued to monitor compliance and restoration measures in the matter.
