Right of individual to access to drinking water vis-Ã -vis duty of the State
An individual has a right to access to drinking water in quantum and quality equal to his basic needs. The right to access to drinking water is fundamental to life and there is a duty of the State under Article 21 of the Constitution to provide clean drinking water to its citizens.
In the present case, the petitioners have been staying in the area in question for the last 50 years.Admittedly, respondent Delhi Jal Board is supplying drinking water to various other unauthorised colonies. Petitioners are veterans, decorated officers, war-widows and Armed Forces Personnel belonging to all three wings, who were allotted plots in question for residential tenements by State respondent pursuant to a scheme. They are seeking all civic and other facilities, especially supply of water, connection of sewage, drainage. The Courtheld that the petitioners cannot be deprived of a right to access to drinking water merely on the ground that it is an unauthorised colony. Petitioners who have been residing in the said area for long time, cannot continuously be deprived of this right to access to drinking and portable water.
