BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued a series of directions to the state government on periodic scientific maintenance of water storage plants, underground and overhead tanks, pipelines and borewells, and Reverse Osmosis Plants (RO), to ensure the treatment of drinking water as per the standard scientific norms and formula across the state to supply contamination-free drinking water.
It directed the state to maintain records of scheduled maintenance activities as there are no such records and to submit them to the court whenever called for.
Directing the state government to prepare a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), based on its directions, and to issue directions to DCs to oversee and ensure maintenance of drinking water sources, a division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind directed that the maintenance of RO plants should be witnessed and acknowledged by elected representative of the panchayat or local body and by the headmaster or headmistress of a nearby government school.
The court passed the order on May 28 while disposing of a PIL by Tumakuru-based advocate Ramesh Naik L, seeking directions to the state government to take steps to supply contamination-free drinking water in various districts, including Tumakuru, where water contains excessive levels of fluoride.
He stated that there is neither proper maintenance nor adequate supply of drinking water. Residents are facing acute hardships due to lack of access to safe drinking water, he stated. He prayed to the high court to issue directions to the state government to undertake a review of drinking water sources and to ensure timely maintenance of pipelines and water storage facilities.
On underground and overhead tanks, the court said the state should issue guidelines specifying scientifically determined periodic maintenance.
For pipelines and borewells, it said whenever a leakage is detected, it must be addressed with priority. Any delay by the authorities would endanger public health. Such dereliction of duty in maintaining pipelines is nothing short of a criminal act, it said.
For ROs, it said the state should issue comprehensive guidelines prescribing intervals at which maintenance of RO plants should be conducted. All non-functional RO plants should be restored to full working condition within a month of this order, it stated.