The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently took a serious note of the depletion of groundwater levels in Gurugram [Sunil Singh v Ministry of Environment & Forests and Others]..A Bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said that the city was witnessing a water crisis due to the non-availability of potable water, and severe waterlogging during monsoons. It called for aggressive measures to improve the situation in Haryana's financial capital."Unless appropriate and effective measures are pursued aggressively, the situation is likely to remain grim, particularly as continued urbanization and population growth appear inevitable, given Gurugram’s proximity to the National Capital," the Court said in an order passed on September 22..The Court was hearing a case related to the preservation of groundwater levels in the municipal limits of Gurugram.It observed that Gurugram has been facing a persistent water crisis due to the non-availability of potable water. It noted that the indiscriminate use of borewells has resulted in a continuous depletion of groundwater levels over severe decades."Further, the existing natural water bodies have substantially diminished, while the channels that sustained these water bodies remain largely blocked," the Bench said.While the city has been facing severe waterlogging during the monsoon, the rainwater so accumulated is not being effectively utilized for the purpose of replenishing the depleting groundwater level, the Court added.There is also an issue with regard to proper utilization of treated water with the effective utilization of sewage treatment plants, the Bench said..The Court has now asked the parties appearing in the matter to submit written suggestions regarding the remedial measures required to be undertaken in the matter and listed the matter for hearing on October 1 to hear the authorities posted in Gurugram.The Deputy Commissioner has been directed to join the hearing through video conferencing along with the heads of relevant departments. The Chief Engineer, Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, and the officers-in-charge of the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, shall also remain present through Video Conferencing on the date fixed, the Court directed..Advocates Nivedita Sharma, Shehbaz Thind, Gurpreet Singh and Pooja represented the petitioners.Senior Government Counsel Arun Gosain with Advocates Swati Arora and Ramandeep Singh Sandhu represented the Union government.Additional Advocate General Deepak Balyan represented the State. Advocate Deepak Sabharwal represented HSVP.Senior Advocate Anand Chhibbar with Advocates Abhinav Sood, Ateevraj Sandhu and Nitesh Jhajhria represented the DLF City RWA.Senior Advocate Randeep Rai with Advocates Rubina Virmani, Radhika Mehta and Farhad Kohli represented the DLF.Senior Advocate Amit Jhanji with Advocate Shashank Shekhar represented REDCO.Additional Standing Counsel Abhilaskh Grover and Junior Standing Counsel Shubham Chaudhary appeared for UT Chandigarh.Advocates Manbir Singh Batth and Sauman Singh Gill represented a respodent. .[Read Order]
