Recently, the bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma of Delhi High Court has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to ensure that hawkers are prohibited from selling contaminated water or beverages like shikanji, lassi, lemon soda, sugarcane juice and jal jeera, besides cut fruits, and that action is taken against those found selling these items.

In the said judgement, the court observed that the MCD, with the aid and assistance of police, has been proactively taking action against the illegal dissemination of contaminated water and artificially flavoured coloured drinks made from harmful chemicals and substances in all the zones here.

The court said it appeared that the authorities have been taking such action since 2018 and in light of this, it does not find it necessary to ask for further status reports or action-taken reports from the respondents.

“Needless to state that the respondent/MCD must continue to ensure that hawkers are prohibited from selling contaminated water or passing any contaminated beverages as shikanji, lassi, coloured drinks, soda water, lemon soda, cut fruits, sugarcane juice, jal jeera, ruhafza and kanji bottle,” it said.