on 28th April 2009 a bench of the supreme court speaking through M Katzu,J. directed the central govt. to form a committee to solve the water crisis in the country. the court observed that :
"Despite having immense reservoirs of water in the form of the Himalayas in the North and the Arabian sea, Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the West, South and East of India, there are water shortages everywhere often leading to riots, road blocks and other disturbances and disputes for getting water"
"In our opinion it is science alone which can solve this problem ( as well as the other gigantic problems facing the country).
" India has a strong heritage of science. With the aid of science we had built mighty civilizations thousands years ago when most people in Europe (except in Greece and Rome) were living in forests. We had made outstanding scientific discoveries and inventions in the past (see Will Durants' `The Story of Civilization : Our Oriental Heritage). However, we subsequently took to the unscientific path of superstitions and empty rituals, which has led us to disaster. The way out therefore for our nation is to once again turn to the scientific path shown by our ancestors - the path of Aryabhatta and Brahmagupta, Sushrut and Charak, Ramanujan and Raman."
" It is indeed sad that a country like India which scientifically solved the problem of town planning 6000 years ago in the Indus Valley Civilization and which
discovered the decimal system in Mathematics and Plastic Surgery in Medicine in ancient times, and is largely managing Silicon Valley in U.S.A. today has been
unable to solve the problem of water shortage till now. In our opinion there is no dearth of eminent scientists in the field who can solve this problem, but they have
not been organized and brought together and not been requested by the Central and State Governments to do their patriotic and sacred duty to solve this problem, nor
given the facilities for this."
"In our opinion the right to get water is a part of
the right to life guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution"
