A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and state governments to make arrangements for potable drinking water free of cost at designated public places across the country.
Pointing to the "acute and vexatious" problem of non-availability of drinking water at public places, the petitioner sought intervention of the apex court saying that governments were spending billions of rupees for various construction projects but "nothing" was being done to quench the "unbearable thirst" of public free of cost.
The petition, filed by social organisation 'Voice of India' through its office bearer Dhanesh Ieshdhan, claimed that despite his innumerable representations before concerned authorities regarding "injurious and deceiving practice" of allowing vendors of water trolleys to sell "unhygienic water" across Delhi, no action was taken by the government.
"The prevailing sloven and defective provision with regard to sale of water since long on roads of NCR and other numerous places of public importance through water trolleys, which are being operated by license holders under the care of MCD and NDMC, needed to be looked into," the petition said.
Referring to a letter sent by the MCD in response to his representation, the petitioner claimed the communication substantiated his claims as to how the civic bodies manage the public affairs with a "blind eye" and present themselves as if they do not have knowledge about the "ongoing malpractice".
The petition said that the absence of public utility providing potable drinking water at public places was violative of the fundamental rights of citizens of India guaranteed under Article 21 of the constitution.
"The intervention of the apex court would certainly remove such glaring defects and also create a sort of saviour to perform the duties by the concerned civic agencies," the petition said.
