'Blatant Mockery of Fundamental Rights': Bombay HC on Crippling Water Shortage in Thane

New Delhi: The Bombay high court on Monday, September 7, said the fact that villagers at Thane, just outside Mumbai, were being provided water only twice a month for two hours at a time, was a blatant mockery of their fundamental right.

A division bench of Justices S.J. Kathawalla and Milind Jadhav strongly condemned authorities and noted that regular water supply was a fundamental right, LiveLaw has reported.

"We are at pains to record that the above-mentioned petitioners are required to knock the doors of this court after completion of 75 years of independence, seeking direction against the respondents to provide regular water supply to them since they are currently supplied water only twice a month, that too for approximately two hours," the court observed.

Villagers had claimed that amidst the shocking lack of water in the region, the STEM Water Distribution company was illegally supplying water to influential persons, including politicians, civic body position holders and industries. The petitioners said STEM was also raking in a profit through this method and was therefore not likely to remove the illegal valves installed on the main pipeline.

It took a dim view of the nearly 400 illegal water connections that the STEM deputy engineer admitted to have failed to remove.

People queue up to fill their vessels following acute water shortage. Photo: PTI

According to the deputy engineer, whenever an attempt is made to disconnect illegal water connections, mobs prevent these exercises.

"This explanation cannot be accepted," the order said.

The bench has further summoned the Thane police commissioner of Thane, the STEM managing director and another joint venture of the local zilla parishad and Bhiwandi Nizampur civic body.

Earlier this year, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had planned to store water from the dams of the district as the minor irrigation department had decided to execute a 14% water cut in the district. As a result of this decision, the water supply in the district was cut off twice a month for 24 hours until July 15.

The demands for its own dam and against permissions for new constructions have gained momentum with several areas in Thane city experiencing an acute water crisis.

The water crisis in Thane was the topic of discussion at the TMC general body meeting held in October 2020. The members claimed that while Thane was implementing major smart city projects, the administration had ignored the basic issue of water supply. The water crisis was felt in Kissannagar, Mumbra, Kalwa, and Diva areas, in addition to Ghodbunder Road.

According to a report on the Hindustan Times, published last year, residents from around 30 villages in Thane's Shahapur district complained about receiving contaminated water for two months at their homes. As many as 75% of the villagers became ill amidst the coronavirus pandemic and residents said there was no help from the zilla parishad.

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