HC summons Chief Secy, top officers

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, January 4

Taking a serious note of supply of contaminated water in Shimla town, the High Court has summoned Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Irrigation & Public Health), Principal Secretary (Health),Engineer–In–Chief, Department of I&PH & Commissioner and others for January 5. While passing the aforesaid order the court also issued notice to the state government.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a petition taken up suo moto by the court as a Public Interest Litigation on the news item published in these columns on January 3 regarding contaminated water supply in Shimla.

It was reported in the news item that Ashwani Khad water source, which caters to drinking water needs of one third of Shimla town, is highly contaminated.

While treating this news report as a PIL petition, the court observed that “drinking water is one of the basic necessities for human existence on the earth. Because of the apathy on the part of the authorities concerned, the people of Shimla town do not have access to clean drinking water and are falling prey to many water-borne diseases.”