Lok Sabha Question No. 809 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-21
Subject: Depletion of Water Level near Rivers and Reservoirs
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †809

ANSWERED ON 21.11 .2019

## DEPLETION OF WATER L EVEL NEAR RIVERS AND RESERVOIRS

## †809. SHRI MAHABALI SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the water level is depleting faster near rivers and reservoirs in the country pa due to unabated mining and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has formulated any plan to check illegal mining;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether water level of around 1000 villages has further depleted due to illegal mining Bihar as a result of which people are facing crisi s during summer;
- (e) if so, whether the Government proposes to take any concrete steps to save such reservo from illegal mining activities; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)  to  (f) Ground  water  levels  in  various  parts  of  the  Country  are  declining  because  of withdrawal due to reasons such as increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagari increased population, industrialization & urbanization etc.  Central Ground Water Board has n any specific study on depletion of water level near rivers and reservoirs due to unabated Country.

Under Section 23C of the Mines an d Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act 1957), the State Governments have been empowered to frame rules to prevent illegal minin Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, frame such rules for preventing i mining, transportation  and  storage  of  minerals  and  for  the  purposes  connected  therewith  in  the  s Governments, including Bihar, have so far framed the rules under section 23C of MMDR Act, 195 illegal mining.

CGWB is periodically m onitoring the ground water levels throughout the Country on a r scale, through a network of monitoring wells. During pre - monsoon period of 2019, the water level in t mentioned area in the State of Bihar ranged between less than 5 meters below grou nd level (m bgl) and less than 15 m bgl. Further, in about 67% of the area, the water level has been observed above 10

The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed j Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  a nd  State  Governments.  As  per  the  latest  assessment,  al assessment units in the mentioned area in the State of Bihar has been categorised as 'Safe' except Koilwar Block, which has been categorised as 'Critical'. Comparison of assessment units of the me ntioned area between 2013 and 2017 assessments reveals that there is no change in 'Safe' category in respect of all the assessment units except Koilwar Block.

Water being a State subject, efforts to initiate suitable interventions including c management of water resources  is  primarily  States'  responsibility.  However,  steps  taken  by  the  Central Government in this regard are at the following URL:

http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf .