Lok Sabha Question No. 2425 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-05
Subject: Ground Water Table Level
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: L.S. Tejasvi Surya

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2425 ANSWERED ON 0 5.0 3.2020

## GROUND WATER TABLE L EVEL

## 2425. SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the steps taken by the Government for increasing the level of ground wa country;

(b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  number  of  industrial  units  granted  permis sion  for  extracting ground water in critical and over exploited zones and if so, the measures taken to mitigate it;

(c) the mechanism framed by the Government to ensure that the industries which are extracting will also have to recharge suffi cient ground water as mandated in their licence;

(d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  amend  the  Indian  Easement  Act,  1882  which  grants  la unlimited right to dig and extract ground water within his or her premises; and

(e) the list of water stres sed regions and their ground water levels, year and State - wise from 2008?

## ANSWER

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

( a) Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including conservation and wat in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. Further, to supplement the efforts of the State Governm Government of India provides technica l and financial assistance to encourage sustainable developme efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes.

Further, important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management water  and  effective  implementation  of  rain  water  harvesting  in  the  country  are  at  the  fo http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf .

In addition, a number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservati Of these, mention can be made of 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Jalyukt Shibar' in Maharashtra,  'Sujalam  Sufalam  Abhiyan'  in  Gujarat,  'Mission  Kakatiya'  in  Telangana,  Neeru  Chettu'  in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana am ong others.

Central  Government  supports  construction  of  water  harvesting  and  conservation  works through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan mantra Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -Watershed Development Component (PMKSY - WDC).

( b)  Yes  sir,  Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  is  regulating  ground  water  for  i infrastructure/ mining projects in 23 States & UTs as per the prevailing guidelines of CGWA a details in this regard.

Further,  other  States  /  UTs  are  regulating  ground  water  development  through  their notifications or Government Orders.

( c) While  according  NOC  to  the  projects,  conditions  for  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificia ground water along with recycle/ reuse of water is one of the mandatory requirements to be im the  project  proponents.  The  criteria  for  water  co nservation/  recharge  measures  as  per  the  guidelines different areas based on stage of ground water development are given in Annexure - I .

Further, CGWA has also appointed the District Magistrate / District Collector of each Rev and  Regional Directors  of  CGWB  as  Authorized  Officers,  with  power  to  enforce  compliance  of conditions.

(d) As per information received from Ministry of Law & Justice, no such proposal is under consi

Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  including  conservation harvesting in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. However, the important measures taken by the Central  Government  for  conservation,  management  of  gr ound  water  and  effective  implementation  of  ra water harvesting in the country are at the following URL:

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

In order to regulate the Over -exploitation and consequent depletion of ground water, t he Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enac t suitable ground water legislation regulation of its development, which includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 15 adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model Bill .

As per information receiv ed from Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs , the Model Building Bye Laws, 2016, has been issued for guidance of the States/UTs which has a chapter on 'Rainwater Harvesting'.  33 States/UTs have adopted the rainwater harvesting provisions. The provisions of this chapter are applicable t all the buildings.  The implementation of the rainwater harvesting policy comes within the State Government/Urban Local Body / Urban Development Authority.  As per Model Building Bye -2016, provision of r ainwater harvesting is applicable to all residential plots above 100 sq.m.

( e) The State wise ground water level in water stressed areas (Over Exploited and Critical Bloc to 2019 is given in Annexure - II.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part ( c) of Unstarred Question No. 2425 t o be answered in Lok Sabha on 05.03 .2020 regarding ' Ground Water Table Level ' .

## Criteria for recharge

## Industries:

| Category       | Withdrawal permitted (% of proposed recharge)                                                                                            |
|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Safe           | NOC is required for ground water withdrawal subject to artificial recharge to ground water.                                              |
| Semi-critical  | Withdrawal may be permitted subject to implementation water recharge measures. The withdrawal should not exceed the recharged quantity.  |
| Critical       | Withdrawal may be permitted subject to implementation water recharge measures. The withdrawal should not exceed the recharged quantity.  |
| Over-exploited | Withdrawal may be permitted subject to implementation water recharge measur es. The withdrawal should not exceed the recharged quantity. |

## Water Intensive Industries:

| Category       | Ground Water Withdrawal Limit                        |
|----------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| Safe           | Withdrawal limited to 200% of ground water recharge. |
| Semi-Critical  | Withdrawal limited to 100% of ground water recharge  |
| Critical       | Withdrawal limited to 50% of ground water recharge   |
| Over-Exploited | No permission for Industries under this category.    |

Annexure refe rred to in reply to part ( e) of Unstarred Question No. 2425 t o be answered in Lok Sabha on 05.03 .2020 regarding ' Ground Water Table Level ' .

## State wise ground water level in water stressed areas (Over Exploited and Critical Blocks) from 2008 to 2019

| Sl . No   | Name of the State having OE / Critical Blocks ( Water Stressed Areas)   | Number of OE blocks in the State (2017)   | Number of Critical in the State (2017)   | Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl)   |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |   Premonsoon Average Water level (m bgl) |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Sl . No   | Name of the State having OE / Critical Blocks ( Water Stressed Areas)   | Number of OE blocks in the State (2017)   | Number of Critical in the State (2017)   | blocks 2008                              |                                   2009   |                                   2010   |                                   2011   |                                   2012   |                                   2013   |                                   2014   |                                   2015   |                                   2016   |                                   2017   |                                   2018   |                                   2019   |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh                                                          | 45                                        | 24                                       | 14.8                                     |                                     12.5 |                                      8   |                                      7.6 |                                      9.8 |                                     10.9 |                                      9.7 |                                     10.6 |                                      7.9 |                                     11.6 |                                     18.4 |                                     22.5 |
| 2         | Bihar                                                                   | 12                                        | 18                                       | 5.3                                      |                                      5.8 |                                      6.4 |                                      6.7 |                                      5.6 |                                      5.2 |                                      7.4 |                                      7.1 |                                      7.5 |                                      7.6 |                                      8.1 |                                      8.6 |
| 3         | Chhattisgarh                                                            | 0                                         | 2                                        | 7.5                                      |                                     11.4 |                                     10.3 |                                      6.4 |                                      9.5 |                                      8.2 |                                      7.6 |                                      5.8 |                                      8.9 |                                      8.6 |                                      7.1 |                                      8   |
| 4         | Delhi                                                                   | 22                                        | 2                                        | 19.8                                     |                                     20   |                                     18.8 |                                     18.6 |                                     19.6 |                                     20.4 |                                     19.4 |                                     19.1 |                                     19.5 |                                     24.3 |                                     23.2 |                                     19.8 |
| 5         | Gujarat                                                                 | 25                                        | 5                                        | 39.7                                     |                                     39.6 |                                     37.2 |                                     28.5 |                                     42.3 |                                     43.1 |                                     42.7 |                                     33.9 |                                     39.2 |                                     39.4 |                                     38.8 |                                     37.8 |
| 6         | Haryana                                                                 | 78                                        | 3                                        | 14.4                                     |                                     14.5 |                                     15.1 |                                     16   |                                     17.1 |                                     17.1 |                                     17.4 |                                     19.4 |                                     20.5 |                                     21.2 |                                     19.7 |                                     19.8 |
| 7         | Himachal Pradesh                                                        | 4                                         | 0                                        | 10.5                                     |                                      9.7 |                                      8.1 |                                      4.5 |                                      5.1 |                                      8.2 |                                      9.2 |                                      6.9 |                                      8.2 |                                      7.9 |                                      5.9 |                                      7.7 |
| 8         | Jharkhand                                                               | 3                                         | 2                                        | 6.0                                      |                                      7.8 |                                      7.8 |                                      8.9 |                                      7.9 |                                      7.8 |                                      7.6 |                                      6.3 |                                      7   |                                      6.2 |                                      6.6 |                                      7   |
| 9         | Karnataka                                                               | 45                                        | 8                                        | 11.7                                     |                                     10.8 |                                     10.4 |                                      9.9 |                                     13.2 |                                     18.3 |                                     18.1 |                                     10.6 |                                     11.7 |                                     14   |                                     11.9 |                                     14.9 |
| 10        | Kerala                                                                  | 1                                         | 2                                        | 8.7                                      |                                     11.4 |                                      9.8 |                                     10   |                                      9.5 |                                     11.2 |                                     12.7 |                                      9.2 |                                     10.6 |                                     11.4 |                                     12.5 |                                     10.7 |
| 11        | Madhya Pradesh                                                          | 22                                        | 7                                        | 15.5                                     |                                     13.2 |                                     13.3 |                                     14.1 |                                     14.9 |                                     15.8 |                                     12.8 |                                     15.7 |                                     17.1 |                                     15.2 |                                     15.7 |                                     15.7 |
| 12        | Maharashtra                                                             | 11                                        | 9                                        | 11.7                                     |                                     11.9 |                                     12.8 |                                     11.8 |                                     10   |                                     11.2 |                                     10.5 |                                     10.4 |                                     13.4 |                                     12.5 |                                     13.1 |                                     16.3 |
| 13        | Pondicherry                                                             | 1                                         | 0                                        | 10.4                                     |                                     13   |                                     11.9 |                                     10.1 |                                     13   |                                      2.8 |                                     12.7 |                                     12.6 |                                     13.6 |                                     15.2 |                                      2.4 |                                     16.2 |
| 14        | Punjab                                                                  | 109                                       | 2                                        | 13.1                                     |                                     13.4 |                                     14.1 |                                     14.7 |                                     16.4 |                                     17.2 |                                     15.4 |                                     16   |                                     17.7 |                                     18.3 |                                     18.8 |                                     18.3 |
| 15        | Rajasthan                                                               | 185                                       | 33                                       | 25.7                                     |                                     26.2 |                                     27.5 |                                     26.5 |                                     25.6 |                                     26.3 |                                     25.8 |                                     25   |                                     25.5 |                                     25.5 |                                     26.3 |                                     26.7 |
| 16        | Tamil Nadu                                                              | 462                                       | 79                                       | 7.9                                      |                                     10.3 |                                     11   |                                      8.2 |                                     10.2 |                                      9.6 |                                     12   |                                      8.9 |                                      8.1 |                                     12.5 |                                      9.6 |                                     11.9 |
| 17        | Telangana                                                               | 70                                        | 67                                       | 8.6                                      |                                      8.1 |                                      8.6 |                                      8.6 |                                     10.6 |                                     11.4 |                                      9.5 |                                     13.3 |                                     13.7 |                                     11.9 |                                     11.5 |                                     14.3 |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh                                                           | 91                                        | 48                                       | 11.7                                     |                                     11.5 |                                     12.5 |                                     10.9 |                                     11.3 |                                     11   |                                     11.5 |                                     11.6 |                                     12.9 |                                     12.5 |                                     13.7 |                                     12.9 |
| 19        | West Bengal                                                             | 0                                         | 1                                        | 10.0                                     |                                      9.5 |                                     13.8 |                                     14.3 |                                     13.8 |                                     15.4 |                                     14.5 |                                     14.1 |                                     14.6 |                                     14   |                                     12.7 |                                     10.5 |

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