NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Delhi Jal Board for supplying contaminated drinking water laced with sewage in parts of east Delhi, questioning how authorities could justify forcing citizens to consume such dangerously polluted water.
A bench led by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal expressed dismay while hearing a public interest litigation that alleged residents of Yojana Vihar, Anand Vihar, Jagriti Enclave, and nearby localities were receiving severely contaminated water through their household taps.
The plea, filed by advocate Dhruv Gupta, flagged health concerns over the supply of what was described as “highly contaminated potable water mixed with sewage”.
Pulling up the DJB for its inaction, the bench questioned whether the agency would have done anything had the matter not reached the court. It remarked that authorities appeared to be expecting citizens to consume water essentially mixed with sewage, highlighting the unacceptable nature of the situation.
Earlier this week, on July 2, the court had instructed the DJB to carry out an on-ground inspection of the affected areas. In response, the water utility submitted a status report confirming that the water pipelines in Yojana Vihar were extremely old and in a deteriorated condition, necessitating urgent replacement.
The report also acknowledged that many household connections, including those at the petitioner’s residence, had severely damaged pipelines.
The DJB informed the court that it intended to issue tenders for replacing the faulty pipes by July 7, with a contract expected to be awarded by July 17. The project is slated to be completed within 20 days from the date the contract is finalised.
Despite this assurance, the court laid down a clear deadline, directing that all replacement work in and around the affected houses must be completed by August 2025, warning that any delay would be treated with utmost seriousness.
Regarding the adjoining sewage treatment infrastructure, DJB’s counsel submitted that desilting operations were underway and were expected to conclude by August.
The utility also noted in its report that the current water distribution network in Yojana Vihar was installed 35 years ago and had long outlived its functional lifespan, necessitating a complete overhaul. The matter is now scheduled for the next hearing on August 13.