Apex court concerned over lack of potable water for citizens

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday expressed concern that even after 60 years of the country’s independence the people were not getting “clean potable water”.

“We are fully conscious of the fact that even after 60 years, a citizen of this country is not getting clean potable water,” said the apex court bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Swatanter Kumar.

The court, while disposing off a public interest lawsuit by Voice of India, said: “In this regard, we agree with the petitioner. It is, however, not possible for this court to monitor and grant relief (s) to the petitioner on all India basis”.

The court also noted that the subject matter of the petition came under the domain of the state governments under the delegation of powers under the constitution. It said the task of supplying clean potable water was the function of the municipal corporations and other local bodies. The court said that the relief sought by the petitioner was essentially against these municipal bodies.

Asking the petitioner to move different high courts for the redressal of its grievances, the court said: “We refuse to believe that the concerned high courts will not look into such grievances, if specific detailed instances are brought to its notice submitted on behalf of the petitioner.”

It declined to share the organisation’s perception that it would take several years for the redressal of its grievances by the high courts.

Voice of India had pleaded that various state governments, including Delhi, should be directed to arrange for free potable drinking water.