The Punjab and Haryana High Court today
directed the Punjab Local Government Department and PUDA to enforce
measures to stop use of underground water for construction
purposes.
The High Court also asked the State to ensure that only surface or treated water from sewage treatment plants was used for construction work. For the purpose, the High Court gave the State three months.
The directions by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih came during the resumed hearing of a PIL filed by advocate HC Arora.
During the hearing, Vinod Kumar Bhalla, Special Secretary, Punjab Local Government, stated in an affidavit that the government had decided that within municipal areas, the underground water from the bore/tube wells would be used only for drinking and domestic purposes.
It was added that underground water would not be used for construction purposes, and alternative sources such as surface water or treated water from nearby sewage treatment plant would be used for the same.
The State Government had accordingly issued instructions that in letters of allotment itself, a condition would be incorporated to the effect that underground water would not be used for construction purposes, and alternative sources would be used for the same.
The High Court also asked the State to ensure that only surface or treated water from sewage treatment plants was used for construction work. For the purpose, the High Court gave the State three months.
The directions by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih came during the resumed hearing of a PIL filed by advocate HC Arora.
During the hearing, Vinod Kumar Bhalla, Special Secretary, Punjab Local Government, stated in an affidavit that the government had decided that within municipal areas, the underground water from the bore/tube wells would be used only for drinking and domestic purposes.
It was added that underground water would not be used for construction purposes, and alternative sources such as surface water or treated water from nearby sewage treatment plant would be used for the same.
The State Government had accordingly issued instructions that in letters of allotment itself, a condition would be incorporated to the effect that underground water would not be used for construction purposes, and alternative sources would be used for the same.
