The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the state government to either appoint new members to Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) within a week or extend the term of old members so that the body could start working immediately.

A vacation bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Dr Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi was hearing a clutch of petitions on drought situation in the state requesting the court to direct government to ensure adequate water supply to drought-hit areas. During hearing, the court was informed that terms of many MWRRA members had got over which is why it was not functioning, to which the bench directed the government to either appoint a new body immediately as a non-functioning water regulating body at the time of a severe water crisis was bad news. The bench said that if, for any reason, the state government was not in a position to constitute a new water regulatory body, it should extend the term of old members to enable MWRRA to start functioning immediately.

The court directed MWRRA to constantly monitor water levels in all dams and ensure that drinking water is supplied to people on priority basis, especially to drought-hit areas. The petitioners raised the issue of private entities hoarding water and water being supplied to slaughter houses to which the bench observed that natural resources such as water were the property of the nation as a whole and did not belong to any individual. The bench held that these resources should not be diverted for other purposes. It also asked the municipal commissioner to ensure that water supplied to slaughter houses is rationed so that enough water is available for drinking purposes.

The bench directed collectors in all districts of the state to ensure that water reserved for drinking is not directed for other activities like construction in view of the severe drought situation. The court asked the government to arrange a special ward for treating persons falling ill due to severe heat.