Document Fragment View

Matching Fragments

"1. Remedial action against falling groundwater levels in the country is the subject matter of consideration before this Tribunal. Taking cognizance of news item under the caption "Falling Groundwater Level Threatens City", appearing in the Indian Express of 18.03.1996, the Hon'ble Supreme Court issued notice to the Central Groundwater Body and DPCC, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Waterworks and Sewerage Disposal Undertaking (now DJB).1 Suggestions were sought from NEERI and thereafter from Ministry of Water Resource. The MoWR acknowledged the problem and stated that a Model Bill has been prepared to regulate and control the development of groundwater in their respective areas.

4. The Hon'ble Supreme Court directed:

"9. The Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forest shall constitute the Central Groundwater Board as an Authority under Section 3(3) of the Act. The Authority so constituted shall exercise all the powers under the Act necessary for the purpose of regulation and control of groundwater management and development. The Central Government shall confer on the Authority the power to give directions under Section 5 of the Act and also powers to take such measures or pass any orders in respect of all the matters referred to in sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Act.

6. Petitions have been filed before this Tribunal from time to time with the grievance of illegal drawal of groundwater by hotels, industries and builders for commercial purposes. The grievance of the applicants in the present application is that there is fast depletion of ground water in NOIDA and Greater NOIDA, District Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. There is large scale extraction of groundwater by various construction companies. Directions relating to the water harvesting are not complied with. No measures are properly adopted to stop the fast depleting ground water levels.

13. The Tribunal noted the relevant statistics on the subject as follows:

"2. As per publication of NITI Ayog, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in water quality index. Most states have achieved less than 50% of the total score in augmentation of groundwater resources, highlighting a growing national crisis. 54% of India's ground water wells are decreasing in levels and 21 major cities across the country are expected to run out of ground water by 2020. Almost none of the States have built the infrastructure required to recharge groundwater in over exploited and critical areas. Several States such as U.P., Bihar, Rajasthan etc. have not put in place any regulatory framework for managing the groundwater. These states produce 20-30% of India's agricultural output and groundwater accounts for 63% of all irrigation water. Therefore, unsustainable extraction in these states also poses a significant food security risk for the country. 3. About 60% of the irrigation needs, 85% of rural drinking water needs and 50% of urban water needs are met through ground water. The CGWB has categorised the areas into the following on the basis of availability of ground water resources: