Local bodies cannot refuse to provide drinking water connection to houses within their territorial jurisdiction on the ground that there was water scarcity in the locality, the Madras High Court Bench here has said.
Disagreeing with such a stand reportedly taken by Eriyode town panchayat in Vedasandur taluk of Dindigul district, Justice M. Venugopal said: “Drinking water is a basic necessity of people and an integral part of the fundamental right to live with dignity guaranteed to the citizens of the country under Article 21 of the Constitution.” The observation was made while disposing of a writ petition filed by Chinnasamy, a resident of the town panchayat, accusing the local body of not providing water connection to his house despite making several representations since last year. He also claimed to have sent a legal notice to the Executive Officer of the town panchayat in April .
Replying to it, the Executive Officer reportedly stated that a new connection could not be provided owing to water scarcity within the territorial limits of the civic body and hence the writ petition.
However, on perusing the reply, the judge found that it also pointed out the petitioner’s failure to submit copies of building plan approval and house tax receipts. Hence, he directed the petitioner to submit the relevant documents to the Executive Officer, who, in turn, was directed to pass orders on the application for providing drinking water connection within three weeks thereafter.
Drinking water is an integral part of the fundamental right to live with dignity,
says Judge
