India, Aug. 18 -- The Bombay High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the acute water shortage faced by more than 110 women students at the University of Mumbai's Madam Cama Girls Hostel at Churchgate. The shortage has persisted for more than a fortnight and students say even drinking water is in short supply.

Observing that the "issue is very serious", a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad initiated the suo motu proceedings after highlighting news reports, which pointed out the difficulties faced by the hostelites owing to the acute water shortage.

The court has now appointed advocate Yugandhara Khanwilkar to assist the court as an amicus curiae and directed her to study the issue. It...