The Hindu : SC notice to Govt. on drinking water norms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003

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SC notice to Govt. on drinking water norms

By Our Legal Correspondent

New Delhi Aug. 25. The Supreme Court today issued notices to three Central Government Ministries on a petition from the Centre for Science and Environment Studies for a direction to fix standards for supply of drinking water without the content of harmful pesticides and other chemicals.

A Bench, comprising the Chief Justice of India, V. N. Khare and Justice S.B. Sinha, issued notices to the Health, Food and Consumer Affairs and Environment Ministries on the petition received by the Court through post.

Appearing for the CSE, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan said that the Government had come out with a notification fixing standards for the bottled water after the CSE made public its research findings indicating high pesticide content in them.

The Bench asked the Additional Solicitor-General, Mukul Rohtagi, to take instructions from the Government and file an affidavit within four weeks and rejoinder if any in another four weeks.

The Court also directed that this petition be heard together along with another petition filed by the NGO, Sakshi, alleging indiscriminate use of pesticides resulting in contamination of food, groundwater and even breast milk.

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