A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued notices to the Environment Ministry, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Central Water Commission and the Central Pollution Control Board while seeking their replies within three weeks.
Advocate Akash Vashishtha, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that increasing illegal and unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the floodplains and catchments of rivers and water courses have become the biggest cause of devastation across the country.
Referring to the Composite Water Management Index report prepared by the Niti Aayog, the plea said India is suffering from the worst water crisis in its history.
“According to a reply tendered by the minister of state for Jal Shakti in Lok Sabha on March 23 last year, the per capita water availability in the country is fast reducing due to increasing population.
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