Ensure regular supply of drinking water in Bhalswa resettlement colony: High Court to Delhi Jal Board

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to ensure regular supply of fresh drinking water to the inhabitants of Bhalswa resettlement colony here which is located near a landfill. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula granted four weeks' time to the counsel for the DJB to file a detailed status report in the matter.

«In the meanwhile, DJB shall ensure regular supply of fresh drinking water to Bhalswa resettlement colony,» the bench said. The high court was hearing a plea seeking to provide basic amenities, including sanitation, drinking water, health and education services, to the inhabitants of Bhalswa resettlement colony which is located near the landfill leaving the whole area polluted.

It had earlier sought responses from the Delhi government, municipal corporation, DJB, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other authorities on the petition. During the hearing on Friday, the counsel for DJB submitted before the court that the board has ensured regular supply of fresh drinking water to the colony and in case of any interruptions in the pipeline supply, it supplies water tankers in the area, as and when the need arises.

The high court also granted four weeks' time to NHRC and other authorities to file their replies to the petition. The petition has also said that the residents are forced to live with contaminated water and poor living conditions due to which they are facing serious skin ailments and trauma.

Bhalswa resettlement colony is situated in North West part of Delhi, adjacent to Bhalswa landfill and around 20,000 people are residing in the colony. The plea said resettlement in Bhalswa was done in 2000 to 2002 from 11 places in Delhi — Gautampuri Yamuna