The Bombay High Court on Monday (August 17) took suo motu cognisance of the "acute water shortage" being faced by the University of Mumbai's Madam Cama Girl's Hostel situated in the city's posh Churchgate area.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad initiated the suo motu proceedings after coming across news reports carried by two leading Marathi newspapers, which highlighted the ordeal of the hostel inmates owing to the acute water shortage since more than 15 days now.

"This is a serious issue," the bench said while appointing advocate Ms Khanvilkar as an Amicus Curaie in the matter.

As per the news reports, the Hostel has been getting very less water supply, which the University has attributed to an ongoing civic work nearby the hostel premises, being carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The judges have asked the Amicus to draft a petition copy within two weeks and has asked her to serve a copy of the memo to the respondent authorities so that they can get appropriate instructions from the concerned departments and make proper submissions before the bench.

The matter has been adjourned for hearing on September 1.