New Delhi (IANS) The Supreme Court will hear next week a plea seeking stoppage of water supply to the liquor industry in Maharashtra in the wake of acute water scarcity in the state.

The apex court’s vacation bench headed by Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre agreed to hear the plea next week after an advocate mentioned the matter before the bench and sought an early hearing.

The petitioner told the court that the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court had earlier directed 60 percent cut in the water supply to the liquor industry and 25 percent to other industries in the drought-hit Marathwada region from May 10 till June end.

The petitioners, who are activists, wanted that even this 40 percent supply of water to the liquor industry should be stopped.

The plea assumes significance as the Supreme Court had earlier upheld the Bombay High Court order banning the hosting of IPL matches, including in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.