India, Nov. 22 -- Continued contamination of three rivers in Rajasthan has virtually put the lives of two million people at peril, the Supreme Court said on Friday as it constituted a high-level ecosystem oversight committee to supervise remedial measures required to check further pollution.

It passed the order in a suo motu case concerning contamination in the Jojari river.

The apex court said the contamination in the Jojari, Bandi and Luni rivers in Rajasthan reflected a sustained "systemic collapse" of regulatory vigilance and "utter administrative apathy" stretching over nearly two decades.

"The present proceedings involve issues of grave concern and disastrous consequences, as a fallout of apathy at all levels which has virtually ...