Bengaluru
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The Karnataka Lokayukta registered a suo motu case on June 3 in connection to problems faced by residents of Ramagondanahalli near Whitefield, where many villagers are shelling out ₹10,000 per month for water. The Hindu reported about their plight on June 2.
Residents of Ramagondanahalli, Siddapura, and Thubarahalli villages do not have Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) connection, due to which they are dependent on water tankers. In the last five months, many villagers have spent nearly ₹50,000, and a large chunk of their earnings goes into arranging water for day-to-day needs. While earlier, their average spending was ₹500 to ₹600 per month, the situation changed after a water supply agent started to transport water to urban areas from these villages from borewells dug rampantly.
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Right to life
The Deputy Lokayukta, Justice K.N. Phaneendra, issuing the order, directed his office to file a suo motu case and said, “An entitlement to receive safe drinking water (potable water) is part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The right to access clean drinking water is a fundamental right, and it is a duty on the part of the State under Article 21 to provide clean water to citizens.” Deputy Lokayukta, taking cognisance of media reports, directed his office to act suo motu acting under section 7(1) R/w 9(3)(a) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act 1984.
The order further said denial of access to water and sanitation has been going on for a lifetime, even before the advent of economic reforms. This has been happening despite Supreme Court rulings time and again. It is an implicit right asserted through a set of laws which confer the duty upon the state through its agencies and local bodies to provide clean water. The Lokayukta, making two revenue officials of the BBMP respondents in the case, directed them to immediately restore regular water supply to Ramagondanahalli.
The order also said, “The BBMP authorities shall bestow interest in providing motorable roads and basic amenities to the residents of this area without further delay. It is needless to direct that an adequate quantity of water shall be supplied to the village every day without any laxity.” The Lokayukta also directed the BBMP Chief Commissioner to submit a report as to why there was no regular supply of drinking water to this village.
Notice served to Raichur CEO
The Minister for Forest and Environment, Eshwar Khandre, said the local bodies would be hauled up in water contamination cases. He said the Raichur Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer has been served with notice over the death of one person after consuming contaminated water. “The water pollution issues would be sternly dealt with,” he told The Hindu.