The High Court on Wednesday issued a series of instructions, including undertaking of one-time exercise to identify all the structures that do not have rain water harvesting structures, to State government over preservation and regulation of usage of drinking water.
A Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti issued the directions while hearing a writ petition filed by a journalist P.R. Subas Chandran in 2005 over scarcity of drinking water in the State.
The Bench wanted the government to initiate appropriate action against the managements of the buildings that lack RWHSs. The provisions of the RWHSs should be put in place in all urban local bodies. Steps should be taken to ensure the RWHSs are installed in rural areas as well.
The Bench ordered that the government should implement GO MS No. 49 of 2023 and examine the need for installing water recycling plants even for smaller structures. The officials concerned should ensure that a notification under Section 11 of the Telangana Water, Land and Trees Act-2002 is issued.
The Bench wanted the Ground Water department to conduct a one-time exercise to ascertain if the existing bore-wells in the State comply with the provisions of the said Act. The Bench said the government should examine the need to introduce curriculum pertaining to water preservation, distribution and re-utilisation for students of third to fifth standards in schools and higher level information on the matter to students of standard sixth and above.
The Bench wanted the government to clearly specify the timeline by which the watchdog committee (as suggested by amicus curiae D. Prakash Reddy) would be constituted. The Bench hoped that the government would undertake, if required, review of water levels and impose appropriate restrictions over usage of drinking water for gardening purposes.
The matter was posted March 26 for next hearing.