PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT, CHANDIGARH. *** CWP No. 15308 of 2009 Date of Decision: 10.11.2009. *** Vijay Kambok Versus State of Haryana and others. *** CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice T.S.Thakur, Chief Justice and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mahesh Grover. *** Present: None for the petitioner. Shri Randhir Singh, Addl:A.G. Haryana. Shri Pawan Kumar, Advocate, for Shri Ramesh B.Garg, Advocate, for respondent No.3. *** T.S.Thakur, CJ (Oral) This petition has been filed in public interest. It prays for a mandamus directing the respondents to take immediate action to provide supply of drinking water to the residents in lane Nos. 1 to 4 of R.K.Puram Colony, Karnal which happens to be an approved residential layout. The petitioner in the writ petition alleges total absence of any drinking water supply in the area mentioned above, which is, according to the petitioner causing immense hardship to the inhabitants of the colony. In response to a notice issued by this Court, Mangat Rai, Executive Engineer, Public Health Engineering Division No.1, Karnal has filed a written statement on behalf of respondents No. 1 and 4. In para No.1 of the said affidavit it is inter alia stated that an estimate of Rs. 69.40 lacs has been prepared for providing drinking water supply from two tube-wells in the said colony for the benefits of the residents of the area. An estimate prepared in that regard has been, according to the respondent submitted to the Engineer in Chief, Haryana for final approval of the Sanitary Board, Haryana. It is stated that on approval of the estimate, tenders shall be invited and the work allotted to a suitable agency for completion within a definite time frame. Appearing for the respondents Mr. Randhir Singh submitted that although there is no regular drinking water supply in lanes No. 1 to 10 of R.K.Puram colony, Karnal, yet there are some alternative sources from which the residents are drawing drinking water. The affidavit, however, does not refer to any such alternative source of -2- CWP No. 15308 of 2009 drinking water. At any rate, any such source cannot be a substitute for a proper supply system for the residents of the area. There is no gain saying that drinking water is an absolutely essential civil amenity which the residents of the area are entitled to demand. It is heartening to know that the authorities have now prepared an estimate for laying the pipe lines for supply of drinking water in the colony. All that remains to be done is approval of the said estimate by the concerned Sanitary Board, Haryana and allotment of work to a suitable agency. Mr. Randhir Singh submitted that the authorities would expedite the completion of this process and prayed for six months time for the authorities to show results in that direction. In the circumstances therefore we consider it unnecessary to keep this writ petition pending on the board of this Court. We, accordingly, dispose off the same with a direction that the Chief Engineer, Public Health shall process the proposal expeditiously and secure the approval of the Haryana Sanitary Board, Haryana and allot the work for execution by an appropriate agency as far as possible within a period of three months from today and to complete the same within three months thereafter. No costs. (T.S.Thakur) Chief Justice (Mahesh Grover) November 10, 2009 Judge Malik