Allahabad HC directs UP government to tackle water crisis in 88 Lucknow villages

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to urgently address the water crisis affecting 88 Lucknow villages. It ordered faster action on five proposed water treatment plants and an early decision on reviving 30 identified lakes

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday took serious note of the worsening water crisis in 88 villages of Lucknow and directed the state government to take effective steps with sensitivity towards the problems faced by villagers. The Lucknow bench of the court observed that water is a basic necessity of life and said concrete measures were required at both the long-term and immediate levels to address the crisis. It directed the authorities to expedite the process of setting up five proposed water treatment plants and take an early decision on the revival of 30 lakes identified for the purpose.

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla while hearing a PIL filed by Utkarsh Lok Seva Sansthan. During the hearing, the court was informed that five water treatment plants are proposed to be established as a permanent solution to the water crisis in the 88 villages.

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Land for one of the plants has already been allotted by the district magistrate in Nagwamau village in the Bakshi Ka Talab area. However, administrative approval and expenditure sanction from the state government are still awaited. Once the approvals are granted, the plant will be constructed by the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (Urban).

The court was further informed that land has not yet been allotted for the remaining four water treatment plants. Taking note of this, the bench directed the district magistrate (DM) to take necessary action on priority. The court made it clear that there should be no unnecessary delay in projects aimed at providing a permanent solution to the water crisis.

In compliance with the court’s earlier order, 90 lakes in the Lucknow region had been inspected. Of these, 30 were found suitable for revival. The court was informed that the Jal Nigam (Urban) had prepared a preliminary report on the revival of these 30 lakes and forwarded it to the state government’s Urban Development Department. A decision on the report is still pending at the departmental level.

The court consequently directed the state government to take an early decision on the proposal for revival of the 30 lakes. It observed that addressing a basic issue such as water scarcity requires both promptness and sensitivity at the government level. The bench fixed September 24 as the next date of hearing.