HC orders KMC to file affidavit on water issue

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Hiten Venegaonkar has directed the chief officer (CO) of the Kopargaon Municipal Council (KMC) to file an affidavit regarding the water supply issue in Kopargaon. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for April 10.

What is the petition about?

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed by Rajesh Mantala and Phulchand Pandey through Advocate Ramraje Deshmukh seeking daily water supply to Kopargaon city from the KMC. During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel submitted a copy of the Government Resolution dated March 25, 2022. Under the Maharashtra Suvarna Jayanti Nagarotthan Mahabhiyan, the Government of Maharashtra had approved a water supply scheme for the KMC with a financial sanction of Rs 131.24 crore.

Of this amount, 85 per cent, Rs 111.554 crore, was to be provided by the state government, while the remaining 15 per cent, Rs 19.686 crore, was to be raised by the municipal council.

The division bench has directed the municipal authorities to submit an affidavit before April 2, 2026 detailing how the Government Resolution dated 25 March 2022 has been implemented so far.

Information sought by the bench

The court has also sought a detailed plan explaining how the municipal council intends to ensure daily drinking water supply to Kopargaon residents within at least the next year. It has asked what additional steps have been taken to increase the number of storage reservoirs or overhead water tanks.

The bench further directed the authorities to provide an estimate of the cost required to construct two overhead water tanks with a capacity of 400 million litres within one year. It also asked the KMC to submit a blueprint outlining its present financial position.