DEVASHISH TIWARI Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) On receipt of a letter being sent by one Devashish Tiwari, Baloda Bazar, resident of Baloda Bazar, District Baloda Bazar -Bhatapara (Petitioner), addressed to Hon'ble the Chief Justice, High Court of Chhattisgarh, President, District Legal Services Authority, Raipur was directed to submit a report in the context of situation that has been projected in the said letter supported by the Newspaper cuttings.

(2.) The President, District Legal Services authority and District and Sessions Judge, Raipur submitted report along with statement of some of the residents of village Supebeda, District Gariyaband mentioning that villagers/ residents of village Supebeda and nearby villages are suffering from Renal diseases due to use of underground water which contains heavy metals like Nickel, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Zink; the report also contains that village Supebeda is situated in a rural area having distance of about more than 245 kilometres from Raipur, ie the State Head Quarter. The suffering of residents of Supebeda and other nearby locality with Renal disease (Kidney ailment) is only due to non-availability of potable water and lack of proper medical facilities for treatment of such critical diseases.

(3.) On the basis of report received from District Legal Service Authority, Raipur, this PIL was registered in which State of Chhattisgarh, Secretary, Public Health and Engineering, Chhattisgarh Paryaran Samrakshan Mandal, Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited and the State Legal Aid Service Authority have been arrayed as party respondents in the petition. Shri Sunil Otwani, learned Member of Bar was requested to assist the Court as Amicus Curiae.