Gokul Prasad Agrawal v. The State Of Bihar And ORS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.13833 of 2014 =========================================================== Gokul Prasad Agrawal, son of Latre Awadh Bihari Agrawal, resident of Village/Mohalla- Mahajan Toli, P.O.- Sasaram, P.S.- Sasaram (Nagar), DistrictRohtas (Bihar) .... .... Petitioner

Versus

1. The State of Bihar through the Chief Secretary, New Secretariat, Patna (Bihar)

2. The District Magistrate, District- Rohtas (Bihar)

3. The Executive Engineer, PHED, Sasaram, District- Rohtas (Bihar)

4. The Sub divisional Officer, Sasaram Subdivision, District- Rohtas (Bihar)

5. The Executive Officer, Sasaram Municipality, District- Rohtas (Bihar)

6. The Chief Engineer, PHED, Sasaram, District- Rohtas (Bihar) .... .... Respondents =========================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner : Shri Ful Man Singh, Adv. Shri Sunil Kumar Singh No.10, Adv.

For the Respondents : Shri Sandeep Kumar- GA8 Shri Rajesh Ranjan, A.C. to G.A 8.

=========================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE and HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE GOPAL PRASAD ORAL JUDGMENT (Per: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE) Date: 15-01-2015 The petitioner is a resident of Sasaram Municipality. According to him, the respondents of Ward Nos.26 and 27 of the Municipality are not receiving any water supply and on account of the same they are forced to purchase the drinking water. He made reference to the press reports as well as the representations made on this behalf, particularly a copy of a letter dated 14.2.2014, addressed by the Executive Officer of the Municipality to the Assistant Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department. His

Patna High Court CWJC No.13833 of 2014 dt.15-01-2015 2/3 grievance is that there is no progress thereafter. Heard Shri Ful Man Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner, and Shri Sandeep Kumar, learned counsel for the Respondents.

The supply of potable and drinking water happens to be one of the responsibilities of the concerned local authorities. However, it is difficult for them to maintain the pace with the expansion of the construction activity that takes place in their limits. Further, availability of water is another problem. It is only when adequate water is available, that the supply lines can be made to the new inhabitants. These, however, are matters to be taken into account by the local authorities.

So far as the present case is concerned, the Executive Magistrate of the Municipality has already taken note of the problem of the non-supply of water to Ward Nos.26 and 27 and he issued directions to the Assistant Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department. There is no reason to believe that the Municipality would not pursue the matter further.

We, therefore, dispose of the writ petition with a direction to the respondents, to take necessary steps, as contemplated in the letter dated 12.4.2014, addressed by the

Patna High Court CWJC No.13833 of 2014 dt.15-01-2015 3/3 Executive Officer of the Municipality, and to complete the same latest by six months from today.

Interlocutory application, if any, stands disposed of.

There shall be no order as to costs.

(L. Narasimha Reddy,CJ) (Gopal Prasad, J) K.C.jha/- U