ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTION FOUNDATION Vs. DELHI ADMINISTRATION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) On 18-10-2011, a statement was made by the learned counsel for the State of U.P. that except in 300 schools, potable drinking water facility is available in all other schools in the State. The learned counsel for the State of U.P. submits that even in the remaining 300 schools in the State of U.P., arrangements have been made for providing potable drinking water and permanent arrangement for making potable drinking water available would be made very shortly.

(2.) The learned counsel for the State of Jammu and Kashmir has handed over a copy of the affidavit filed by the Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, School Education Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir in which it is indicated that arrangements have been made for providing drinking water in all the schools in the State; heads of the institutions have been directed to make arrangements for installation of syntax tanks which could be filled by a pipe from a nearby post; the Public Health Engineering Department has undertaken to provide chlorine tablets to the headmasters and teach them how to use it and will also provide a filter under the Jal Mani Scheme to the schools where syntax tanks are installed. In view of the affidavit handed over today, all the schools in the State of Jammu and Kashmir have also been provided with the facility of drinking water.

(3.) In our previous order dated 18-10-2011,Environmental and Consumer Protection Foundation v. Delhi Admn., 2012 10 SCC 211 we clearly indicated that it is imperative that all the schools must provide toilet facilities; empirical researches have indicated that wherever toilet facilities are not provided in the schools, parents do not send their children (particularly girls) to schools. It clearly violates the right to free and compulsory education of children guaranteed under Article 21-A of the Constitution.