Jaipur: The Rajasthan high court on Friday came down heavily against political interference in the bid to remove encroachments from catchment areas of rivers, dams and ponds. The court also pulled up the state government for playing with citizens' health by not keeping water bodies free of pollution.

During the state assembly's recently concluded session, legislators had cut across political lines to criticize HC orders to evict squatters from the city's Amanishah Nullah. The high court had earlier ordered removal of encroachments from the district's Ramgarh Dam too. The legislators had said the court orders would render thousands of people homeless overnight.