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Address water crisis urgently: Supreme Court

Legal Correspondent

Explore cheaper solutions by undertaking scientific research

Greedy elements have filled up ponds and tanks, and raised buildings
Bench cites World Bank report drawing attention to complacency

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to explore cheaper methods to solve the water crisis by undertaking scientific research on a war-footing.

“The help and advice of foreign experts and/or Indian scientists settled abroad may also be taken, since the solution will help not only India but also foreign countries which are facing the same problem, some of which may already have progressed significantly in this area. The present known methods, e.g. distillation or reverse osmosis, are very expensive,” said a Bench consisting of Justices Markandey Katju and B. Sudershan Reddy.

The Bench passed this interim order on a writ petition filed by advocate M.K. Balakrishnan seeking protection of wetland for preservation of environment and ecology, and recalled the recommendations (made in an earlier judgment in the State of Orissa vs. Government of India case) to the Centre to constitute a body of eminent scientists to do scientific research in this area.

The Bench issued notice to the Science and Technology Secretary, seeking his response, in four weeks, stating “what measures are being taken to solve water shortage and for implementing the recommendation of Justice Markandey Katju.”

The Bench said one of the main reasons for the acute shortage in the country was that most of the water conservation bodies were filled up in recent times by some greedy persons.

“Unfortunately, people have forgotten the wisdom of our ancestors and that is why some greedy people, for their personal interest and to make money, have filled up most of the ponds, tanks, etc, and have constructed buildings thereon with the result that in most parts of India, there is terrible water shortage and people are suffering terribly, particularly in the summer season in both rural and urban areas.”

Quoting a World Bank report, in which its author John Briscoe has pointed out that despite the alarming situation there is widespread complacency on the part of authorities in India, the Bench asked the Centre to address this problem and posted the matter to April 28.

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