Pune: Bombay High Court directs PMC and PCMC to reconstitute special committee to attend water problems

Pune : April 12, 2023: On April 10, the Divisional Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne at Bombay High Court heard the PIL 126/2023 regarding the water problem faced by the residents of urban areas in Pune District. 

The Bench scrutinized the PIL and took note of the water scarcity issues of the urban areas in Pune city and district. 

Advocate Satya Muley, who represented the Petitioners, argued that providing water through tankers by Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is like legitimizing the water tanker business.

In a similar PIL in 2016-17, the Bombay High Court had directed PMC to form a special committee to address the complaints of residents regarding water scarcity.

However, Adv. Satya Muley pointed out that the PMC had formed the committee, but it only met four times between 2017 and 2018 and was dissolved, stating that there was no water scarcity problem. He emphasized that if such a committee had been functional, the current severe water scarcity situation in urban areas of Pune District would not have arisen.

The Bombay High Court has taken note of the  information and has directed the PMC and PCMC to reconstitute separate committees to address water scarcity complaints. The PMRDA has also been instructed to address water problems faced by the residents under its jurisdiction.

The committee shall consist of the Municipal Commissioner, Divisional Commissioner, Chief City Engineer, and Member Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority. The committee will consist of people who are actively involved in addressing the water problem faced by affected residents.

Advocate Satya Muley further pointed out that the same issue was dealt with by the Hon’ble High Court in 2016 when the suburban areas of Baner and Balewadi faced severe water problems, and at that time, the High Court had imposed a stay on granting permissions for new constructions in the Pune Municipal Corporation area. He mentioned that currently, several housing societies across Pune District are facing severe water shortages and are spending huge amounts to purchase water from private water tanker operators.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) are now required to constitute committees to hear and redress water shortage-related grievances of the residents in their respective areas. If the committee fails to address the concerns of the residents, the Bombay High Court can be approached again for further justice.

During the hearing on November 29, 2022, and December 15, 2022, the Bombay High Court had expressed serious concerns about the issue and warned of imposing a fine on the respondents for their slow response.

Advocate Satya Muley was assisted by Mugdha Raut in the PIL. The Petitioners, including the Wagholi Housing Societies Association, Pune District Co-operative Housing Societies and Apartments Federation, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Welfare Societies Federation Ltd., Baner-Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust, Balewadi Residency Co-operative Housing Welfare Federation Ltd., Dear Society Welfare Association, Bavdhan Citizens Forum, Hinjawadi Employees and Residents Trust, Aundh Vikas Mandal, and Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum, noted the outcry in the residents of all urban areas of Pune District due to water scarcity and filed the current PIL at Bombay High Court through Satya Muley – Advocate the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court.

The following parties are made respondents in the current PIL: 1) Union of India, Department of Water Resources 2) Central Ground Water Board 3) State of Maharashtra – Water Resources Department 4) Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran 5) Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority 6) Pune Municipal Corporation 7) Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation 8) Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority 9) Zila Parishad Pune.