Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 12: Despite receiving about 3,100 mm of average annual rainfall, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to face potable water shortages, with the resulting scarcity causing hardship to the public. The issue has now prompted the Calcutta High Court’s Circuit Bench at Sri Vijaya Puram to invite practical suggestions on measures that could help address the problem.
The court issued the direction on August 3, 2026, in WPA(P)/2/2026, Sandeep Singh v. Union of India & Others. It has provided for suggestions from the petitioner and other stakeholders, including examples from other parts of the world where water scarcity has been successfully addressed.
Acting on the court’s directions, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has constituted an Expert Committee to examine potable water scarcity in the Islands and recommend appropriate measures.
The committee brings together representatives and experts from the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Geological Survey of India (GSI), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), IIT Kharagpur, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC).
The Administration has now invited suggestions from members of the public, technical experts, institutions, professionals, researchers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders on feasible and sustainable measures to address the scarcity of potable water in the Islands.
The suggestions received will be placed before the Expert Committee for consideration as it examines the issue and works towards recommending appropriate measures.
The notice calls for written or electronic submissions containing clear and concise ideas, along with suitable examples wherever possible. Individuals and organisations submitting suggestions have also been asked to provide their address and contact details.
Suggestions can be sent within 15 days from the date of publication of the notice to ceapwd@and.nic.in and seplgapwd@gmail.com.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of recurring water shortages despite the Islands’ high average annual rainfall, with the court process now opening the consultation to a broad range of stakeholders. The inputs are intended to assist the Expert Committee in its examination of the potable water scarcity issue and formulation of recommendations.
