HC gives state 60 days to supply drinking water in Contai villages

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the state government to complete the process for ensuring drinking water supply to several villages under the Contai-I Panchayat Samity within 60 working days.

The direction came while disposing of a public interest petition seeking immediate steps for the supply of potable water to multiple rural habitations. The court recorded that the petition had been filed to address the continuing hardship faced by residents due to the lack of drinking water.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen examined a report submitted by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department and noted that steps had already been initiated by the authorities to address the issue through the tender process.

The petition highlighted the lack of drinking water in villages including Nayaputh, Baguran, Benipur, Sahajatpur, Kanshibhuiya Bar, Mukundapur, Shilampur, Raghu Sardar Bar, Barchunfali and Biramput in Purba Medinipur district, all falling under the Contai-I block. The court perused a report dated December 17, 2025, submitted by the Executive Engineer of the Midnapore Mechanical Division, PHE Department.

The report clarified that the department does not appoint pump operators or other personnel on a permanent, temporary or contractual basis. Instead, agencies are engaged through tenders, and such agencies recruit personnel from the open market, who remain accountable to them.

It was further stated that following a communication from the district administration, tenders for operation and maintenance of certain water supply schemes have already been invited and processed, while others are in progress.

Taking note of these facts, the Bench directed the respondent authorities to complete the entire process indicated in the report within 60 working days from the date of communication of the order. Liberty was also granted to the petitioner’s advocate to serve the order on the concerned authority to ensure compliance. With these observations, the petition was disposed of.