Mahendra Prasad Sonkar son of Sri Chunni Lal Sonkar and Surya Prakash Singh son of Late Chhavi Nath Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh through Secretary Urban-Development and Ors

Case dealing with the pollution of the river Gomti due to the dumping of garbage and waste into it by the civic authorities. This was having an affect on the quality of drinking water being supplied to the people of the city of Jaunpur and causing diseases. This petition, filed as a Public Interest Litigation, asks for issue of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to stop the dumping of garbage and waste material into the river, to make the water of the river pure and hygienic and to remove all the obstructions in the flow of the river Gomti. It is also prayed to order the authorities to supply the water of river Gomti for drinking only after its treatment and purification. The court decided to expand the scope of case to the clean up of the entire Gomti since if the river is made clean in Jaunpur city alone, it will again get polluted due to the pollution coming from places upstream and ordered for the setting up of a Committee to formulate an action plan for keeping the Gomti river clean and unpolluted throughout its flow from its place of origin to the place where it meets the river Ganga. The Court also reaffirmed the primary status of water for drinking purposes as opposed to other uses of water and direct the Committee to appoint Chemical Analysts who will take samples from the water of the river Gomti at Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Raebareli, Barabanki and Lucknow etc. and these Chemical Analysts will submit regular reports as to whether the water contains bacteria or other toxic/harmful elements, and also suggest what action must be taken to keep the water pure. The work of the committee is sought to be monitored by the court every month.