Supply of contaminated water in East Delhi: Delhi High Court slams Delhi Jal Board

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court came down heavily on the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) during a hearing on the supply of contaminated water in parts of East Delhi. A bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyay criticized the board for allowing residents to consume water mixed with sewage, calling the situation deeply concerning.

“You are asking people to drink sewer-mixed water. Unless someone approaches the court, you don’t even go there to check,” remarked the Chief Justice during the proceedings.

The court issued strict directions to the DJB to immediately replace old pipelines in the Yojna Vihar area and warned officials that any failure to comply would be taken seriously. The bench expressed shock and disappointment, stating, “What could be more tragic than people receiving water mixed with sewage?”

However, the court declined to expand the scope of the case to include the entire city.

Addressing the petitioner, the court explained that it would be impractical for the High Court to monitor water issues across all of Delhi. “If you raise the issue for the entire city, it will be difficult for the court to monitor,” the bench stated.

The issue first came to light after multiple residents in East Delhi, particularly in areas such as Yojna Vihar, Anand Vihar, and Jagriti Enclave, complained of foul-smelling and discoloured water. Despite repeated complaints, residents alleged that the Delhi Jal Board failed to act.

Taking a serious note of the situation, the court directed the DJB to inspect the affected areas and resolve the issues related to drinking water quality. It further ordered the board to file a detailed report based on ground-level inspections.

During the hearing, the court observed that several households were receiving black-coloured water. It stressed that DJB officials must ensure the supply of clean drinking water to every household. “You need to check the colour and quality of the drinking water. Go door-to-door if necessary, and submit a comprehensive report,” the court instructed.

The matter was brought before the court through a petition filed by advocate Dhruv Gupta.

The petition alleged that the drinking water supplied in several East Delhi localities was highly contaminated, with traces of sewage, putting the health of thousands of residents at serious risk. The court has now asked for a follow-up report to be submitted after inspection, as the case remains under consideration.