Lok Sabha Question No. 3660 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-23
Subject: Extraction of Ground Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: JYOTI DHURVE, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3660

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2017

## EXTRACTION OF GROUND WATER

## †3660. SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA  REJUVENATION      be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that ground water is extracted more for agriculture than domestic and industrial purposes annually and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  misuse  of  ground  water  is  on  rise  due  to  absence  of  regulation  of extraction of ground water and coordination among competitive users;

(c) if so, the facts thereof; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to spread awareness among the States in this regard and the details of action taken to punish the frequent offenders?

## ANSWER

## THE    MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  As per the latest assessment of ground water resources of the Country, jointly carried out by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the State Ground Water Departments, as on March, 2013, the annual ground water draft is 253  Billion  Cubic  Meters  (BCM),  out  of  which  228  BCM  is  for  irrigation  use  and  25  BCM  is  for  domestic  and industrial use.

(b) & (c) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) constituted under 'The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986' for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the country has notified 162 areas for regulation of ground water development and management. Under the CGWA guidelines, in notified areas, no permission is accorded to extract ground water through any energized means for any purpose other than drinking water. However,  for  non-notified  areas, ground  water  withdrawal  by  industries is regulated  by  means  of guidelines/criteria as specified as CGWA.

As per the Model Bill to Regulate and Control the Development and Management of Ground Water', 2005, the State Governments may establish State Ground Water Authority, which has the power to 'Notify' an area to regulate the extraction  of  ground  water.    So  far,  15  States/UTs  are  regulating  ground  water  extraction  through  ground  water legislation.

(d)  The Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR has launched 'Jal Kranti Abhiyan' (2015-16 to 2017-18) in order to consolidate water conservation and management in the Country through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders, making it a mass movement.

In addition, this Ministry under IEC (Information, Education & Communication) activity is taking necessary steps for creating mass awareness on water conservation through various activities such as Workshops, Trainings, organizing Bhujal  Manthan,  Essay  Competitions  on  Water  Conservation  and  Painting  Competition  on  Water  Conservation, launching Mobile Apps on ground water and rainwater harvesting.

CGWA is taking steps for compliance by issuing notices to defaulters of No Objection Certificate holders. Further, State are also taking action in the form of sealing of illegal borewells, seizure of boring machines, disconnection of power to energized borewells, etc.

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