On Thursday, the Bombay High Court directed state authorities to ensure that both “human life and cattle” in 300 villages within the tribal Melghat region of Amravati district, located in Vidarbha, have access to sufficient water amid rising summer temperatures.

This instruction followed a hearing where petitioners highlighted a severe water shortage affecting these villages during the extreme heat of summer. In contrast, the state government asserted that there was an adequate water supply and that water tankers were unnecessary.

The court expressed its concern about the need for water distribution to each village in the Melghat area after receiving information that temperatures could reach as high as 48 degrees Celsius in May and June.

A bench comprising Justices Ravindra V Ghuge and Hiten S Venegavkar was examining Public Interest Litigations regarding malnutrition-related deaths among children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers in the tribal region.