The High Court ordered the authorities to maintain records of RO plants. | Photo Credit: File Photos
The Karnataka High Court issued a number of instructions for proper maintenance of drinking water infrastructure, including storage tanks, pipelines and plants of reverse osmosis (RO), asking (the government) to publish with a comprehensive standard operational procedure (SOP) by introducing its instructions.
The divisional bench, which consists of the main judge of the NV Anjaria (as it was then) and the judiciary of KV ARAVIND issued instructions, while destroying the petition Pilus Ramesh Naik L., a defender based in Tumacura.
Although the petitioner announced the court on the question of contaminated drinking water supplied in the Tumacur district, the bench found that it was necessary to expand the extent to the whole state, because similar failures and shortcomings in the supply of clean drinking water persist across Karnataka.
Although the infrastructure is introduced, the inability to maintain it, thereby relieving individuals to access clean drinking water, it represents the failure of the state to fulfill its constitutional obligations, as the state has a basic obligation to supply drinking water suitable for human consumption, the bench said.
Record
Bench, which states that water treatment plants/cleaning and underground and overhead tanks should be stated according to standard scientific standards that the government should maintain detailed records of planned maintenance and maintenance and systematically preserve these records before court as needed.
The bench, which points out that the justification of the duties of the authorities in maintaining drinking water pipeline is nothing but a criminal act of threat to public health, said the government should formulate a comprehensive travel map for inspection, maintenance and pipeline exchange periodically and scientific way.
RO plants
Since the RO plants were installed in areas where it is a source of drinking water, it ordered the bench to issue comprehensive instructions prescribed by intervals in which RO plants should be maintained because they require sophisticated maintenance, including cleaning and replacement of filters.
When directing the authorities to maintain records of RO plants, the bench stated that the total amount collected from RO of plants and expenditure for maintenance, filter replacement and other components should be systematically recorded and maintained because water is issued by the nominal amount to the user.
Meanwhile, the bench ordered the government to produce all non -functional plants within one month through working condition.
Panchayat development officers in rural areas and designated local authorities in urban areas should witness ROS maintenance together with the elected representative Panchayat or the local authority in rural areas AS and the headmaster of nearby government schools in urban areas.
Published – May 30, 2025 9:12
