(Per : HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. K.S.RADHAKRISHNAN)

Petitioner has raised grievances about the inefficiency and the incapacity of the officers of the Pollution Control Board to control the contamination of underground water in Boriya Khurad village, causing serious health hazards.

Considerable duties and responsibilities have been bestowed on the Officers of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (for short `GPCB') under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, (for short `the Water Act') for prevention and control of water pollution and to ensure that the industrial and domestic effluents are not allowed to be discharged into the water courses without adequate treatment, as such discharges would render the water unsuitable for human consumption, irrigation and the marine life.

The 4th respondent had set up a dyeing and manufacturing unit in the above mentioned village for manufacturing dyes and intermediates which had discharged chemical and other toxic subject into the underground bore-wells of the 4th respondent factory, which in turn contaminated the water in nearby bore-wells causing serious water pollution and health hazards to the villagers and f