The Supreme Court on Monday August 11, 2025 voiced deep concern about untreated sewage and industrial effluents flowing into the Palar river in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district. The bench said the continued discharge of waste would have unavoidable and serious consequences for people and the environment.
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan noted that thousands of liters of sewage are being released into the river daily, leaving it in a severely degraded state.
They pointed out that many in India still depend directly on rivers for drinking water and warned that the ongoing pollution is a threat to public health.
“You all have portrayed a pathetic picture… just imagine thousands and thousands of liters of sewage being pumped into the river. What must be the state of the river? We are sure that in our country, people still go to the river to fetch water, everybody does not have a water connection. Believe me, nature will not spare us. This is not a lecture; it is coming from the heart”
Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan
The observations came during a hearing on a plea regarding pollution from tanneries in Vellore that are discharging untreated effluents into the Palar river.
The Court reviewed submissions from three district Collectors, the Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board, and an officer from the Central Pollution Control Board on how to enforce directions issued in a January 30 judgment.
That earlier order required the creation of a committee chaired by a retired High Court judge, with officials, environmental experts, and representatives of affected communities as members. This body was tasked with assessing ecological damage and ensuring that remedial measures are fully implemented.
Nature will not spare us. This is not a lecture; it is coming from the heart.
Supreme Court
The bench identified two urgent priorities: improving the performance of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and ensuring the oversight committee functions effectively.
It warned that if CETPs are not operating at their best, untreated waste will continue to flow directly into the river.
“It is important to know how well CETPs are functioning… if CETPs aren’t functioning at their optimal level, then the trade effluents go straight into the river untreated, which is dangerous”
Supreme Court
The Court ordered that pollution reports from the Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Board, and the State government be shared with the petitioner, who may respond at the next hearing on August 25.
Source – Bar & Bench
