Aurangabad, Sept 6:
The Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Arun Pednekar has directed the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to regularly supply water to the citizens on a gap of three days (on the fourth day).
The court observed that despite serving reminders and issuing directives, the AMC is failing to fulfil its promises. Hence the above verdict was issued by the HC.
The court also underlined that it is feasible for the AMC to supply water regularly on every fourth day from the available water stock (in the source) through planning and designing an areawise water distribution schedule. It also got cleared during the hearing that the AMC repeatedly submitted assurances that it will supply water on the fourth day, but continue to supply water to the citizens on the fifth day.
The AMC’s lawyer Adv Sambhaji Tope brought to the notice of the bench that the water is not available from Jayakwadi Dam (source) considering the need and the population. The available stock of water is inadequate. Besides, the work of laying pipelines to draw water has also not been completed by Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP). He also said that the AMC was able to disconnect 955 illegal water connections from May 17 to September 1 and then halt the drive due to the non-availability of police security (owing to the Ganeshotsav). The next hearing on the public interest litigation (PIL) will be held on September 12.
In the case, Adv Sachin Deshmukh has been appointed as an amicus curiae (friend of the court); Adv Amit Mukhedkar represented the original petitioner; Adv Sambhaji Tope pleaded on behalf of the AMC; Adv Vinod Patil represented MJP; Adv Bhushan Kulkarni pleaded on behalf of the Central Government and chief public prosecutor D R Kale represented the State Government.