Lok Sabha Question No. 3019 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-11
Subject: Regulation for use of Ground Water
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3019

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 11, 2019

## REGULATION FOR USE OF GROUND WATER

No. 3019.     SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

Will  the  Minister  of  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of NITI Aayog's report stating  that  cities  like  New  Delhi,  Bengaluru,  Chennai  and Hyderabad will completely run out of ground water in coming years and if so, the steps being taken in this regard;
- (b)  whether  India  has  any  legal  mechanism  to  regulate  use  of ground water through tube-wells by households and residential societies and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)  the steps taken by the Government to check large scale abuse of ground water across metropolitan cities like Delhi?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a): As per National Institute of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog's 'Composite  Water  Management  Index  (CWMI)'  published  in  June, 2018, 21 major cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, are expected  to  reach  zero  groundwater  levels  by  2020,  affecting access for 100 million people.

Water supply being a State subject, it is the responsibility of the  State  Government/ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to plan, design, execute,  operate  and  maintain  water  supply  system  as  per  the required  standards  and  quantity.  Government  of  India  augments such efforts of the State through its various schemes and initiatives.

Government  of  India  launched  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  on  25  June,  2015  to  provide basic services such as drinking water, sewerage etc. to households in 500 selected Mission cities in the country. Water supply is one of thrust areas of the Mission under which  projects related to augmentation  of  existing  water  supply,  water  treatment  plants, rehabilitation  of  old  water  supply  systems,  rejuvenation  of  water bodies  specifically  for  drinking  water  supply  and  recharging  of ground water etc. can be taken up by the States/Union Territories (UTs)  to  enhance  water  supply  in  the  Mission  cities.  So  far,  1273 projects  worth  Rs.42,254  crore  have  been  taken  up  under  the Mission by the States/UTs, of which, contracts have been awarded for  1133  projects  worth  Rs.34,002  crore  including  278  completed projects  worth  Rs.2,305  crore.  In  addition,  140  projects  worth Rs.8,252 crores are at various stages of tendering.

Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  have  taken  additional measures aimed at water conservation like issuance of guidelines for Urban Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation  (URDPFI)  and  Model  Building  Bye-laws  (MBBL)  for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Urban Development Authorities (UDA)  to  implement  rain  water  harvesting  and  take  other  water conservation measures. Central Public Works Department has also brought out a manual on 'Rain Water Harvesting & Conservation' in June, 2012 to augment groundwater levels.

Recently,  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  has  been  launched  by Government of India to intensify efforts for conservation, restoration, recharge and reuse of water through rain water harvesting, rejuvenation of water bodies and reuse of treated waste water  etc.Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs  is  participating actively in the Abhiyanand has issued 'Guidelines for Urban Water Conservation' for the States/UTs.

(b) & (c): Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3(3) of the 'Environment (Protection) Act, 1986' for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water

development  and  management  in  the  country.  CGWA  has  issued directives to the Chief Secretaries of all States as well as Administrators  of  all  UTs  to  take  measures  to  promote/adopt artificial  recharge  to  groundwater/rain  water  harvesting.  It  also grants No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for groundwater extraction to  Industries,  Infrastructure  units  and  Mining  projects  in  feasible areas  with  mandatory  conditions  for  conservation,  augmentation and efficient use of groundwater. As per current guidelines, individual households do not require permission to extract groundwater, whereas residential societies require NOC for groundwater extraction.

Further, Ministry of Jal Shakti has circulated a Model Bill to all the  States/UTs  to  enable  them  to  enact  suitable  groundwater legislation for regulation of its development, which includes provision of  rainwater  harvesting.  So  far,  15  States/UTs  have adopted and implemented the groundwater legislation on the lines of the Model Bill.

In  Delhi  and  Tamil  Nadu,  however,  regulation  is  being  done through Government orders.

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