Erode villagers’ plea for water: Govt told to file reply in 6 weeks

While disposing a public interest litigation moved by V K Venkatachallam, an agriculturist, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose directed the chief engineer, Water Resource department, Coimbatore, to treat the petition as a representation and to jointly take a decision within six weeks. 

“The decision shall be communicated to the petitioner within a week from the date. If the representation is disposed of favourably, no reasons need be given. However, if the decision is unfavourable, the decision shall be reasoned,” the bench added.

The right to drinking water is a basic human right, the bench said in the order, adding that adequate drinking water should be made available to these villages, whether by providing water to Odaithurai tank, or by setting up other means of supply. 

The plea was moved seeking directions to release water from the Lower Bhavani Project to Odathurai tank to meet the drinking water requirement of 20 villages that are dependent on the tank for sustenance.