The Life Line of Human Beings–“Right to Potable Water”

Abstract

Without water human being cannot survive. Natural resource in form of water is so precious that a day without water is not possible. A resource like water is becoming scarce day by day and the brunt of it is being felt throughout the world. A challenge is there in front of the world today that, how to make proper utilisation of these valuable commodity in form of water which is so scare. The UN world water development report also states that, lack of potable water is affecting millions of people and availability of potable water is reducing at an alarming rate. A humans livelihood depends on water. No access to water will be considered as denial of basic human rights. There is no explicit provision mentioned under Indian Constitution, water as a fundamental right. Indian judiciary time and again through its various judgements have recognised the importance of water in human daily life. Thereby have made water as basic human right which every citizen of India should enjoy which is interpreted under Article 21 of Indian Constitution. The State is duty bound to protect and to provide adequate potable water and also to protect water sources from getting polluted and encroached. Article 21 has a wider scope wherein health, disease free and a pollution free environment, providing sanitation, basic facilities etc. are also considered as basic rights. But in reality these basic human needs are often neglected and much less is done to counter these problems. The situation of availability of potable water is so serious and grave that if human beings do not take positive steps in conserving and protecting water in the coming five years the situation will be such that in many countries people will die due to non-availability of water. This paper is an effort to understand and point out the role played by water in a daily life and steps that man-kind should take to protect and preserve this important resource which nature has given us