Shillong, Jun 8: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure that the water at Umran River is fit for human consumption.

“We direct them (state authorities) to take all necessary steps at their respective levels whatever required so as to ensure that the turbidity level at locations No 3 and No 4 is maintained within the desired limits of drinking water standard, to be rendered fit for human consumption,” the Court said in its order issued on June 5.

A PIL was filed by the Joint Action Committee of Social Organization, Umran Diary, Ri Bhoi District against the setting up of a retail outlet (petrol pump) on side of the river Umran by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

The Court directed the chief secretary Y Tsering to convene a meeting within 10 days and instruct all concerned officers/officials to do the needful at the earliest.

The chief secretary was also asked to file an affidavit on this regard before the next date. The matter will again be heard in the last week of this month.

The order came following a report submitted by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board on February 23. The MSPCB in its report had stated that as per the results of the tests and analysis at/from locations No 3 and No 4, the turbidity of the water flowing from upstream and downstream of the Umran River, flowing behind the boundary of the BPCL petrol pump, Umran Diary, Ri Bhoi, require treatment by the concerned authorities in such a manner that the turbidity level is maintained within the desired limit of drinking water standard to be rendered fit for human consumption.