Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of ground water resources in the country.
Regulatory measures
- The Central Ground Water Authority is regulating withdrawal of ground water by industries/ projects in 839 Over-exploited and 226 Critical Assessment Units. List of these critical areas has been circulated to the State Pollution Control Boards and Ministry of Environment & Forests which refer the new industries/ projects to CGWA for obtaining permission.
- CGWA has notified 43 critical/ overexploited areas in parts of NCT Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Diu for control and regulation of development of ground water resources. For enforcement of the regulatory measures in these areas, concerned Deputy Commissioners/ District Magistrates have been directed under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate ground water development in these notified areas.
- Construction of new ground water structures is prohibited in the notified areas. Permission of drilling tubewells is being granted only to the Govt. agencies responsible for drinking water supply.
- CGWA has notified 65 areas in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat NCT Delhi and Uttar Pradesh warranting urgent action for registration of existing ground water extraction structures. Based on the data thus generated, action for notifying these areas for regulation has been initiated.
OUR SISTER CONCERN AKSHAR ENGINEERS
- ETP, STP & ZLD Projects – Design & Supply.
