Kathmandu, December 12:

Challenging the decision of the government to hand over the management of water supply in Kathmandu Valley to an international organisation, a writ petition was filed at the Supreme Court today.

The petition was filed jointly by Jyoti Baniya and Drinking Water and Users Groups Federation claiming that the government’s movement was illegal because the government was trying to evade its responsibility. The petitioners claimed it is people’s right to get pure drinking water.

“This is an issue related to the welfare of the state as per Article 25 (2) of the 1990 Constitution and it is a wrong concept to hand over management of any natural resource to any foreign institution without any competition,” the petitioners stated.

They have claimed that the government’s decision to provide the authority of management of the water distribution system in the Kathmandu to the British company Seven Tent Water International for $ 8.5 million was wrong. “It is wrong to hand over management of a very important service like water distribution to a non-governmental institution, but the government must take the responsibility by itself,” the petitioners claimed.

“The government’s recent decision not only excludes the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation from the duty of serving the people but it shows that the government does not have a good policy in this regard,” the petition said. The petitioners have sought a SC certiorari order to revoke the decision of the government and also a stay order to the government to stop further proceedings in this regard.