The Meghalaya High Court recently directed the State of Meghalaya to formulate a policy laying down a roadmap for those people residing in this State, who, till date, do not have any easy access to potable and arsenic-free drinking water.
The Bench of Justice H. S. Thangkhiew and Justice Biswanath Somadder, ordered thus, as it noted that the State of Meghalaya does not have any scheme/policy of its own, which could ensure that every village in the State of Meghalaya is provided with easy access to potable and arsenic free drinking water.
It may be noted that on 16th February, 2021, the Court had directed the State of Meghalaya, to furnish a detailed report stating therein - the exact number and names of those villages in the State of Meghalaya who, to date, do not have any access to potable and arsenic free drinking water.
However, when the State Of Meghalaya submitted its report, it did not reveal any policy of the State Government other than referring to Jal Jeevan Mission programme of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (a programme of the Government of India).
To this, the High Court directed the State Government,
"(To) formulate a policy which should lay down a roadmap for those people residing in this State, who, till date, do not have any easy access to potable and arsenic free drinking water."
The policy of the State has been directed to be placed before the Court on behalf of the State Government.
In related news, the Delhi High Court recently held that the right to access to drinking water is fundamental to life and there is a duty of the State under Article 21 of the Constitution to provide clean drinking water to its citizens.
Case title - Dr. Tilok Dasgupta v. State of Meghalaya & Ors. [PIL No.12/2017]
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