The Manipur High Court on Monday disposed of the PIL case filed to ensure availability of drinking water to the residents of Chalou Maning Leikai, Imphal East, which has been declared as a containment zone, as the issue was settled.
Further, a division bench of the high court comprising justice Kh Nobin and justice A Bimol directed the department of PHED, Manipur to publish the contact numbers of the executive engineers concerned in the local dailies within a week. It was stated that anyone who resides in containment zones, in need of water may contact the executive engineer, PHED of the area concerned at the published telephone number and make a request for supply of water.
It was also stated that in the event of such a request being made by any person from any of the containment area, the executive engineer of the area concerned should supply the water for which the cost is to be borne by the residents of the area.
On July 29, the division bench directed the state government to instruct the deputy commissioner of the Imphal East to ensure availability of drinking water to the residents of Chalou Maning Leikai, which has been declared as a containment zone.
The respondents were further directed to file their counter affidavits on August 2, in connection with a PIL filed by one Moirangthem Maipak, seeking the court’s direction for taking up appropriate steps in order to provide essential commodities or essential public facilities such as safe drinking water at the areas in Chalou Maning Leikai which had been declared as a containment zone.
The HC also expanded the scope of the PIL to cover all the areas and particularly the containment zones in the state.
An affidavit from the deputy commissioner, Imphal East has been filed, stating that the issue of drinking water has been settled through dialogue and discussion.
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