Team Herald
PANJIM: Taking suo motu cognisance of a letter regarding inadequate water supply to Dona Paula and surrounding areas, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday directed the PWD principal chief engineer to ensure that the residents of La Oceana Colony Trust, Dona Paula are assured of at least three hours a day drinking water supply.
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The residents of La Oceana Colony Trust, Dona Paula, Tiswadi had addressed a letter to the Administrative Judge, highlighting that the water supply by the PWD was restricted to only 45 minutes to a maximum of 75 minutes and on several days, there was no water supply at all. The letter further stated that even the water pressure was extremely weak and given the extremely short duration of the water supply, the storage tanks which the residents had constructed, could not be filled.
High Court Judge Justice Rohit B Deo treated the letter as a suo motu public interest petition and appointed Adv Gaurish Agni an amicus curiae and requested him to file a structured and formal petition within the next week.
Stating that right to supply of clean and hygienic drinking water is an integral facet of right to dignified life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the Court requested Advocate General to ensure that the residents of La Oceana Colony Trust, Dona Paula as well as surrounding areas are provided/supplied adequate water supply.
Justice Deo directed the PWD principal chief engineer to ensure that the residents of La Oceana Colony Trust, Dona Paula and those from nearby areas are assured of at least three hours a day drinking water supply, the period of which can be staggered depending upon administrative and technical exigencies. The matter has been posted for next hearing on May 16.
