Closing in on civic authorities

Instead of civil action, the Supreme Court sanctions criminal prosecution

There is hardly any city in the country which has a satisfactory water supply or sewage system. Civic authorities are generally insensitive to people's complaints and are not easily spurred into action. Even the pollution control boards avoid their responsibility to enforce environment laws because local heavyweights are involved and the outcome of legal action is uncertain.
 
But the Supreme Court has now ruled that the Municipal Councillor and Chief Officers of the Municipal Council could be criminally prosecuted.
 
The ruling came in a 14-year-old legal battle between the Karnataka pollution control board and seven commissioners of Bangaluru