SC intervenes in NCR drinking water crisis

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) The Supreme Court today sought responses of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests and the Haryana government on a petition seeking a ban on commercial and industrial activities in the Ridge area in Gurgaon which it said is causing a crisis of drinking water in the National Capital Region.

A Vacation Bench comprising Justices C K Thakker and Lokeshwar Singh Panta issued notices on the petition filed by the Resident Welfare Associations(RWAs) of Gurgaon who alleged before the court that industrial and commercial units operating illegally from the Ridge area were drawing ground water on large scale, which has a caused severe water crisis in Gurgaon.

The petitioners urged the apex court to direct the authorities to ban commercial and industrial activities in the forest area which are mainly responsible for the water crisis the residents of Gurgaon are facing.

The petitioners also contended that such illegal activities, which include large scale illegal constructions in forest area, are not only responsible for the water crisis but are also responsible for causing damage to the environment in the area by polluting it.

UNI SC NY BD1547