The court was hearing a public interest litigation initiated suo motu on encroachment of water bodies and decrease in the sources of water in Ranchi.

During the course of hearing, the court was informed that a study has been carried out by the Geological Survey of India and the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad across the state.

The survey has confirmed that the level of the water table has been constantly going down over the last two years in Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand.

A division bench of Justices Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Deepak Roshan, while hearing the PIL, observed that serious steps towards conservation of water resources have to be taken to ensure its availability for residents of the state.

The high court urged the government as well as the experts to ponder over ways and means to supplement the water table in the state.

The court was also informed that over the last five decades, the existence of lakes and ponds “have been compromised”. Scanty rainfall has contributed to the dipping water table, too.

The Ranchi Municipal Corporation said steps are being taken for water harvesting in the state capital.

The civic body said regularly conducts checks to ensure that rules for water harvesting are complied with by the residents of Ranchi.

The matter will come up for hearing again on April 22.