Briefs Facts 

In the case of Abhay Shamsundar Kurundkar v. State of Maharashtra, a Criminal Writ appeal was submitted by a prisoner through Taloja Prison, requesting that the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra be instructed to supply appropriate water for prisoners.

Analysis of Court Verdict 

The Secretary to District Legal Service Authority was instructed by the Bombay High Court Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse to go to Taloja jail and check on the water supply provided to the inmates. According to the allegations, the convicts received a woefully insufficient one-and-a-half bucket of water each day.

The Court noted that the report from the Home Department and Superintendent of Taloja Jail acknowledges that the water supply is inadequate and further adds that 3 lakh additional litres of water are needed for the convicts. It further noted that despite CIDCO increasing the pipeline size from 80 MM to 100 MM, the water supply for inmates at Taloja Jail remained insufficient.

The Court ordered the Secretary to DLSA to visit the jail, check the water supply, speak with the inmates and make sure they have access to water, check the wells and water tanks for cleanliness and determine whether Taloja jail could have a rainwater harvesting system. The Court further prohibited jail officers from being present while the DLSA Secretary interacted with the prisoners. The Court further ordered that a CIDCO officer in charge of the inspection and a deputy secretary from the Home Department be present. Secretary Raigad was additionally ordered by the Court to submit his report.