LUCKNOW The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has taken serious note of the worsening water crisis in 88 villages of Lucknow and directed the state government to take effective steps with sensitivity towards problems faced by villagers.
The court directed 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.
It 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.
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 UP Jal Nigam (Urban). The court consequently directed the state government to take an early decision on the proposal for revival of the 30 lakes. Even in 2021, when LMC and Jal Sansthan began preparing a plan for the newly included villages, officials acknowledged that many residents were dependent on handpumps and submersible pumps. A proposal was prepared for laying water pipelines as well as sewer lines, while the LMC had estimated that development of the 88 villages would require around ₹ 100 crore.
Because the government’s own assessment indicated that groundwater cannot provide a sustainable solution for all 88 villages, the present crisis acquired greater urgency.
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. The bench fixed September 24 as the next date of hearing the matter. A decision on the report is still pending at the departmental level.
