Access To Clean Drinking Water Is A Fundamental Right, Says Bombay High Court
Access To Clean Drinking Water Is A Fundamental Right, Says Bombay High Court Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 17:23 IST The Bench questioned
Access To Clean Drinking Water Is A Fundamental Right, Says Bombay High Court Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 17:23 IST The Bench questioned why citizens still have to move courts to secure access to drinking water more than seven decades after Independence. The bench asked the Maharashtra government whether it had a comprehensive plan to ensure that every citizen, including those living in remote areas, had access to drinking water. (Image: File) The Bombay High Court has observed that access to clean and potable drinking water is a fundamental right intrinsically linked to the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The observations came while hearing petitions concerning the lack of access to safe drinking water in the tribal Melghat region of Maharashtra’s Amravati district, at a time when several parts of the state are facing a water crisis. A division bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Kamal Khata questioned why citizens still have to move courts to secure access to drinking water more than seven decades after Independence.
“After 75 years of independence, people of India have to approach the court for drinking water?" Justice Gadkari remarked, as reported by NDTV. The bench asked the Maharashtra government whether it had a comprehensive plan to ensure that every citizen, including those living in remote areas, had access to drinking water. Justice Gadkari also sought details on how the government intended to guarantee water supply to the most isolated regions. Emphasising that access to water is a basic right, the court said citizens were not seeking subsidies or special benefits. “They are not asking for any subsidy; they are here for their fundamental rights," the bench observed. The high court had earlier expressed concern over malnutrition-related deaths in tribal areas and deficiencies in healthcare and water infrastructure. It had also directed authorities to ensure adequate water tanker supplies to villages in Melghat during the peak summer months, observing that neither residents nor cattle could be allowed to go thirsty as temperatures rise.
Maharashtra Water Crisis Maharashtra is facing a severe drinking water crisis as a delayed and weak southwest monsoon has led to a sharp rainfall deficit across the state. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the state has received nearly 80 per cent less rainfall than normal in June, affecting the start of agricultural activities and putting pressure on water resources. The state’s live reservoir storage has fallen to 24 per cent, down from 33 per cent during the same period last year. The Pune division is among the worst affected, with dam storage levels dropping to just 14.54 per cent of capacity. In Mumbai, water levels in the seven lakes supplying the city have declined to a critical 10.3 per cent, leaving the financial capital with an estimated 40 days of usable water stock. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Saurabh Verma Senior Sub-editor Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor.
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