The Tripura High Court has recently disposed of a suo motu PIL that residents of Nonacherra ADC Village of Mungiakami RD Block in Khowai District were not being provided with adequate drinking water. The Court closed the proceedings after being satisfied that plans have been made by the Tripura government for the implementation of drinking water projects.
On December 13, the High Court had directed the Government Advocate to file an affidavit indicating what steps are being undertaken by the State for providing drinking water under Noonacherra ADC village in Mungiakami in Khowai district . The High Court further directed the state government to indicate the period within which the safe drinking water would be available to them and till such project is complete, what are the temporary measures they will immediately undertake to provide emergency water to the villagers of the said village.
On January 17, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice S. G. Chattopadhyay perused the affidavit filed by the State through the Engineering Officer and Deputy Secretary to the Government of Tripura in the Public Works Department.
The affidavit said eight projects have been identified and have been sanctioned for the said area for provision of safe drinking water. The target for completion of the scheme ranges from March 2022 to November 2022.
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As an ad-hoc interim measure, the affidavit states that
“PWD (DWS) will supply drinking water on a daily basis to the inhabitants of aforesaid habitations through truck mounted water tanks till completion of the proposed water supply schemes.”
After going through the affidavit, the Court was satisfied that plans have been made by the State for implementation of the drinking water projects in the said area. However, while taking the said affidavit on record, the Court directed the deponent to file affidavits after completion of each of the projects they must ensure completion of the projects within the time scheme as contained in the affidavits and the deponent shall file affidavits before the High Court within one month from the scheduled completion of the project before the Registry of this Court and the matter may be listed from time to time on such affidavits being filed. With such directions, the Court disposed of the PIL.