By Ishank
The Jojari River, a seasonal waterway winding through Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was once a vital resource for the arid region, nourishing villages and sustaining ecosystems during the monsoon. Today, it stands as a grim symbol of environmental decay, choked by industrial waste, untreated sewage, and neglect. Originating near Pondlu village in Nagaur district and merging with the Luni River after an 83-kilometer journey, the Jojari has become a conduit for toxic sludge and pollutants, threatening both human health and the environment as of February 23, 2025.
A River Under Siege
Recent years have seen the Jojari’s plight worsen due to unchecked industrial and urban pressures. Textile and steel rerolling units in Jodhpur’s industrial belt discharge effluents laden with heavy metals, dyes, and chemicals directly into the river. A Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) with a capacity of 20 million liters per day exists, but its underutilization has allowed toxic waste to flow unabated. Compounding this, untreated sewage from Jodhpur city and haphazard dumping of municipal solid waste have turned the river into a stagnant pool of contamination during dry spells. The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) recently confirmed high levels of nitrates and iron in groundwater near the river, signaling widespread pollution seeping into the aquifer.
Recent Incidents of Toxicity
In early 2025, reports of escalating toxicity in the Jojari have sparked alarm. A joint study by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and RSPCB, conducted in late 2024, revealed that groundwater in villages like Doli and Araba—located 50 kilometers downstream—contained nitrate levels far exceeding safe limits, a direct consequence of sewage and industrial runoff. Residents have reported skin irritations and respiratory issues, with stagnant, foul-smelling water creating breeding grounds for disease. On X, users like
@chiranjilalm492
highlighted the crisis on February 22, 2025, with hashtags like #प्रदूषितजोजरीसेजीवनबचाओ (Save Lives from Polluted Jojari), reflecting growing public outrage over the river’s state.
A particularly alarming incident occurred in January 2025, when a large volume of untreated effluent from a textile unit allegedly overwhelmed the river’s flow near Sangariya, leaving behind a visible layer of chemical sludge. Local farmers noted dead fish and wilting vegetation along the banks, underscoring the ecological toll. The RSPCB classified this sludge as hazardous waste requiring scientific disposal, yet no significant cleanup followed, leaving the toxic residue to fester.
A Call for Action
The Jojari’s decline isn’t new—its pollution has intensified since 2005—but recent incidents highlight the urgency of intervention. A proposed riverfront development project, sanctioned a decade ago with ₹125 crore for its first phase, remains unimplemented. Meanwhile, the river’s floral and faunal diversity has vanished, and its water is unfit for any use. Environmentalists and residents alike are pressing for stricter enforcement of pollution norms, full operation of the CETP, and a revival plan to restore the Jojari.
Once a lifeline for Jodhpur, the Jojari River now stands as a cautionary tale of industrialization without accountability. Without swift action, its legacy may be reduced to a toxic scar on Rajasthan’s landscape—a tragedy felt by generations to come.
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