Lok Sabha Question No. 1974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-31
Subject: National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme in Odisha
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Purohit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1974

ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025

## NATIONAL AQUIFER MAPPING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME IN ODISHA

## 1974. SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  conducted  National  Aquifer  Mapping  and Management (NAQUIM) Programme in Jharsuguda district of Odisha particularly focusing on industrial zones;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the key findings and recommendations made in this regard;

(c)  the  steps  taken/to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  implement  these  recommendations  including  the measures to regulate over-extraction of groundwater by industries; and

(d) the action taken/being taken by the Government for sustainable groundwater recharge and long-term groundwater security in Jharsuguda?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has completed a study titled 'Aquifer Management Plan in parts of Jharsuguda and Sambalpur Districts, Odisha' under NAQUIM 2.0, which particularly focuses on  the  industrial  zones  of  the  districts.  The  key  findings  and  recommendations  of  the  study  are summarized in Annexure.

(c) Water  is  a  state  subject  and  sustainable  management  of  water/ground  water  resources  falls  in  the purview  of  state  governments,  including  the  responsibility  of  preventing  and  mitigating  the  effects  of water  pollution.  Accordingly,  the  above  said  NAQUIM  study  report  has  been  shared  with  the  state government of Odisha and discussions have been held with the state authorities and line Departments for guiding them regarding the implementation of the recommendations/suggestions.

Also ministry is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission -Har Ghar Jal scheme in co-ordination with states, since 2019, with the objective to ensure provision of safe drinking water in adequate quantity to every rural household of the country including those of Jharsuguda, Odisha.

For  regulating  the  extraction  of  ground  water  for  industrial  and  other  commercial  purposes,  the Ministry has established the Central Ground Water Authority(CGWA), which is enforcing regulations in 19 states and UTs, including Odisha, in accordance with the provisions of its Guidelines dated 24.09.2020. The  Guidelines  stipulate  that  all  industries  extracting  ground  water  should  compulsorily  obtain  No

Objection  Certificate  (NOC)  from  CGWA.  Additionally,  the  following  stringent  measures  have  been mandated by the Guidelines to regulate over extraction :

-  NOC shall not be granted to new industries in over-exploited areas, except for MSMEs.
-  NOC  shall  be  granted  only  in  case  of  non-availability  of  sufficient  quantity  of  local government water supply.
-  Industries  shall  adopt  water  efficient  practices  to  reduce  dependence  on  ground  water  and those  industries  extracting  more  than  100  Kilo  Litres/Day  (KLD)  of  ground  water  shall undertake biennial water audit.
-  All  industries  must  install  water  flow  meters  and  ground  water  extraction  data  should  be regularly shared with CGWA for monitoring and ensuring compliance.
-  Hefty  Environmental  Compensation  (EC)  charges  for  unlawful  extraction  and  penalties  for non-compliance with NOC conditions are being imposed as deterrent measures.

(d) The  following  are  the  some  of  the  important  measures  being  taken  by  the  Union  Government  for improved ground water recharge and management in the country, including Jharsuguda area of Odisha :

- i. The Government is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in the country since 2019 which is a mission mode and time bound programme for harvesting the rainfall and taking up water conservation activities. Currently, JSA 2025 is being implemented in the country with special focus  on  over-exploited  and  critical  districts.  JSA  is  an  umbrella  campaign  under  which various  ground  water  recharge  and  conservation  related  works  are  being  taken  up  in convergence with various central and state schemes. As per the available information under JSA, a total of around 4.35 lakh water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures have been constructed/renovated in Odisha and 8,800 in Jharsuguda district in the last 4 years.
- ii. Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater - 2020 has been prepared by the CGWB for the entire country including Jharsuguda, Odisha and shared with States/UTs providing a broad  outline  for  construction  of  around  1.42  crore  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial recharge  structures  in  the  country  to  harness  185  BCM  (Billion  cubic  meter)  of  water.  For Jharsuguda, a total number of 321 artificial recharge structures have been recommended.
- iii. Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA & FW), GoI, is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) Scheme in the country including Odisha, since 2015-16, which focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation and better on-farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources.
- iv. Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched by the Government of India which aimed at developing and rejuvenating at least 75 water bodies in each district of the country including Jharsuguda, Odisha. As an outcome nearly 69,000 Amrit Sarovars have been constructed/rejuvenated in the country with 80 in Jharsuguda.
- v. Ministry  has  circulated  a  Model  Bill  to  all  the  States/UTs  to  enable  them  to  enact  suitable ground water legislation for regulation of its development, which also includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 21 States/UTs including Odisha have adopted it.
- vi. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has circulated Model Building Bye-laws, 2016 which recommends Rainwater Harvesting for all types of Building with plot size 100 sq.m or more. So far, 35 States / UTs, including Odisha have incorporated the provisions in their respective building bye laws.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1974  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  31.07.2025  REGARDING  'NATIONAL AQUIFER MAPPING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME IN ODISHA'.

## Key findings and recommendations given in 'Aquifer Management Plan in parts of Jharsuguda and Sambalpur Districts, Odisha' under NAQUIM 2.0 are given below:

- i. Industrial cluster area of around 456 sq.km area comprising of part of Jharsuguda Block and part of Kolabira block of Jharsuguda district and part of Rengali block of Sambalpur district has been covered under the study.
- ii. Major industries are metal and thermal power plant based and their operation solely depends on surface water supply from the State Government Department.
- iii. In  the  study  area,  average  pre  and  post  monsoon  depth  to  water  level  in  dug  well  is  6.08 mbgl& 2.77 mbgl respectively.
- iv. Occurrence  of  Nitrate  and  Fluoride  above  permissible  limits  has  been  found  in  some  dug well/hand pump samples. However, water samples collected from ash pond, nalla, river etc. show much higher levels of Fluoride contamination.
- v. Samples from Bheden river and Ib river indicate contamination from industrial and municipal wastes.  Regular  checking  of  river  water  quality  is  recommended  to  prevent  pollution  in irrigation water.
- vi. It  is  recommended to test  water  samples  from  all  bore  wells/handpumps/dug  wells  used  by public for drinking water purposes and seal the ones tapping contaminated aquifers.
- vii. Fly ash disposal sites by all thermal power plants near the river Bheden, Ib and all tributaries should be stopped.
- viii. On the basis of post monsoon depth to water level map of hand pump/ bore wells more than 5 mbgl water level area which corresponds to 112.17 sq. km is demarcated as recharge area.
- ix. Artificial recharge structure is proposed in 18 sq. km area with 20 RWH in 3 sq.km area and 300  farm  pond  in  3  sq.km.  area  in  Jharsuguda  Municipality  on  the  basis  of  post-monsoon decadal trend and mean water level analysis.
- x. Ground water supply in rural areas can be managed by construction of 427 number of farm ponds in agricultural field.

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