LUCKNOW, Aug. 19 -- Stressing that access to clean drinking water is part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court directed the district magistrate, municipal commissioner, and managing director of UP Jal Nigam to join the proceedings on August 25 through video conferencing. The court expressed displeasure with Lucknow Municipal Corporation for not providing the no-objection certificate (NOC) required for setting up a water treatment plant in the city. A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla passed the order on August 13 while hearing a PIL filed by Utkarsh Lok Sewa Sansthan in 2016, seeking directives for the provision of clean drinking water in Lucknow. The bench noted that despite repeated directions, the civic body had failed to file its counter affidavit or take steps to ensure the availability of clean water. "It is high time the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, especially the Jal Kal Vibhag, woke up to the plight of residents and remedied the situation," the court had observed, adding that it does not appreciate the civic body's apathy in ignoring its orders. The bench had given the corporation one more opportunity to ascertain the availability of clean and adequate water, take remedial steps if required, and file an affidavit by the next hearing. Earlier, on May 2, 2024, the court had ordered the municipal corporation to conduct a survey, take corrective measures, and submit a reply. The bench noted that even after specific directions in 2021, no counter-affidavit was filed. The petitioner's counsel also placed before the court news reports highlighting the scarcity of drinking water in several localities. On August 13, state counsel informed that land had been earmarked for a water treatment plant but the project awaited NOC from the municipal corporation. He was unable to specify when the request for the NOC was made. The court, while underlining that non-provision of clean drinking water amounts to a violation of Article 21, fixed the next hearing for August 25 and asked the three senior officials to assist with records and compliance....