SC takes notes of contaminated water supply in Shimla

Taking note that several diseases are spreading due to contaminated water supply in Shimla, the Supreme Court has directed the Himachal Pradesh government and the concerned civic body to submit a "concrete action plan" on improvement of quality of water supply.

The apex court, which directed that quality of supply water in Shimla be checked every week, said a report be filed before it on whether water is potable or not and what is being done to ensure that pure water is supplied to the inhabitants of the state.

"An affidavit has been filed by the state of Himachal Pradesh. However, it is noted that in Shimla, due to impure supply of water, several diseases are spreading due to contaminated water supply," a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said.

"Let the concerned municipal body of Shimla as well as the concerned department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh submit a concrete action plan with respect to the improvement of quality of water supply," the bench noted in its February 28 order.

It said that in case the water pipelines are required to be changed, a concrete action plan be submitted to the court.

"The water quality, which is being supplied, be checked every week and a report be filed to this court whether the water is potable or not and what is being done to ensure that pure water is supplied to the inhabitants of not only Shimla but to the inhabitants of other places also," the bench said.

The top court had in November last year taken cognisance of the controversy regarding supply of alleged unsafe drinking water in the national capital and had said it is the duty of the state to provide drinkable water to the citizens.

It had also directed various state governments to submit reports regarding the quality of water which is being supplied and also on the water management system.

On February 28, the top court was informed that water sample collected from the official residence of Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has failed Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) quality norms.

The apex court was informed that 11 samples collected from different parts of Delhi have failed the quality test on various counts out of 47 parameters.

This issue cropped up before the apex court which is hearing matter related to pollution in the Delhi-national capital region (NCR).