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The Delhi High Court on Friday gave the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) a sharp dressing down over its apparent fondness for serving up contaminated water straight to citizens’ taps. The bench, clearly unimpressed, asked how the authorities could possibly expect residents to “drink sewage-mixed water”.

The case stemmed from a public interest litigation (PIL) petition highlighting that locals in Yojana Vihar, Anand Vihar, Jagriti Enclave and other parts of east Delhi were receiving what was generously described as "highly contaminated potable water", featuring an unpleasant bonus — sewage.

“Unless someone knocks (on) the doors of the court, you yourself can’t do this? You are asking citizens of this city to drink sewage-mixed water?” the bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal remarked, mincing no words.

Previously, on 2 July, the court had directed DJB to inspect the affected areas. Lo and behold, the agency discovered that the water pipelines in Yojana Vihar were practically ancient and in dire need of replacement — news that shocked exactly no one.

In a status report that read like an overdue confession, DJB admitted that numerous pipelines, including those connected to the petitioner’s residence, were not only decades old but also damaged. In response, the agency promised to float a tender by 7 July and hand out the contract by 17 July, with the work supposedly wrapping up within 20 days of award.

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The court, not buying into any vague timelines, ordered that the job must be finished by August, adding that any failure would be "viewed seriously". Translation: no more excuses.

On the topic of sewage treatment, the DJB’s counsel claimed that desilting work was in progress and would be completed by August — again, fingers crossed.

The report also revealed that Yojana Vihar’s water distribution system was installed 35 years ago, has well outlived its usefulness, and now needs a full overhaul. DJB assured the court that the overhaul was coming and that the most damaged sections would be prioritised — provided the budget allows, of course.

In a bid to clamp down on further contamination, the court also directed DJB to crack down on the use of booster pumps during non-supply hours. “If any resident is found indulging in this, necessary action be taken in this regard,” the bench ordered.

The case will be heard next on 13 August.

The court had earlier instructed DJB to ensure the supply of “pure potable drinking water” to the area’s residents — an apparently revolutionary concept. The PIL, filed by advocate Dhruv Gupta, stressed that the health and safety of locals in east Delhi was at risk, thanks to what’s flowing through their pipes.

With PTI inputs

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