IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.10050 of 2008 IN THE MATTER OF LETTER OF MANINDRA NARAYAN SINGH Versus THE STATE OF BIHAR & ORS ----------- For the Respondents : Mr. Rabindra Kumar Choubey, G.P. VII ------- P R E S E N T Hon'ble the Chief Justice & Hon'ble Mr. Justice Kishore K. Mandal ----------- Dated, the 5th August, 2008. This writ petition has been registered as Public Interest Litigation on the basis of a letter sent by M.N. Singh. He has raised the grievance with regard to non supply of drinking water to the village Chandragarh, Police Station – Navinagar, District – Aurangabad. 2. It is stated that Public Health and Engineering Department ( for short ‘PHED’), Government of Bihar sanctioned Rs.6,53,800/- for repair of water supply line at village Chandragarh. The Executive Engineer, PHED, Aurangabad spent about Rs.4,27,120/- in repairing the said water supply line. It is stated that despite that water supply line has been repaired, due to non availability of diesel generator set, the villagers have been deprived of supply of drinking water. It is stated that PHED has earlier been providing diesel generator set for supply of drinking water but for quite some time PHED is not providing diesel generator set and as a result of that, five thousand people of village and nearby area are being deprived of drinking water supply. 3. On 14th July, 2008, Mr. Rabindra Kumar Choubey, Government Pleader No. VII appeared for the State Government and its - 2 - functionaries and prayed for time. At his request, three weeks’ time was granted. However, no counter affidavit has been filed. 4. That the drinking water is an essential and basic need of the human beings, is beyond doubt. The government and its functionaries are under obligation to provide drinking water to its people. It appears that village Chandragarh, Police Station – Navinagar, District – Aurangabad and the nearby area having population of about five thousand people have not been getting of drinking water supply. 5. Since it is not an adversarial litigation and, as noticed above, it is the obligation of the state to provide drinking water to its citizens, we are satisfied that the following order shall meet the ends of justice – The Executive Engineer, PHED, Aurangabad shall take all necessary steps for supply of drinking water to village – Chandragarh, Police Station – Navinagar, District – Aurangabad and ensure that drinking water supply is done on regular basis. The drinking water supply to village Chndragarh must start without delay and preferably latest by 1st September, 2008. 6. Writ petition is disposed of accordingly. R. M. Lodha, CJ Kishore K. Mandal, J Anil/