HC takes suo motu cognisance of news report, directs UT Admn to act on sewage-contaminated drinking water

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

Taking suo motu cognisance of a news report carried in these columns on the contamination of drinking water with sewage to parts of the city, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday directed the Union Territory of Chandigarh to take urgent steps to address the issue.

The direction came as the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal asserted nobody was apparently taking up the responsibility of solving the emergent situation, which could result in an epidemic as contaminated water, if consumed, might lead to “widespread diseases”.

UT senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji and Sukhmani Patwalia, along with counsel for the Chandigarh Housing Board G.S. Wasu, present during the court proceedings, were heard before the order was passed.

In its detailed order, the Bench asserted suo motu cognisance of the matter was being taken by the court on the basis of the news report published on August 30, stating that “there is mixture of sewage with drinking water supply at economically weaker section (EWS) colonies in Dhanas, Maloya, Ram Darbar, Vikas Nagar, as well as Sectors 56 and 38, within the town of Chandigarh”.

Before parting with the order, the Bench added: “The UT Chandigarh Administration, which also controls the Chandigarh Housing Board, is directed to take necessary steps to resolve the problem and submit a compliance report before the next date of hearing.” The matter will now come up for further consideration on September 4.

The news report, among other things, had stated that the residents putting up in the flats the CHB colonies for economically weaker sections were forced to receive drinking water mixed with sewage even as the city Municipal Corporation was waiting to get Rs 15 crore sanction from the board to carry out sewerage upgrade.