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CENTRAL
GROUND WATER AUTHORITY
Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted
under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and
management of ground water resources in the country.
Powers & Functions:
The Authority has been conferred with the following
powers:
(i) Exercise of powers under section 5 of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 for issuing directions and
taking such measures in respect of all the matters
referred to in sub-section(2) of section 3 of the
said Act.
(ii) To resort to penal provisions contained in
sections 15 to 21 of the said Act.
(iii) To regulate and control, management and development
of ground water in the country and to issue necessary
regulatory directions for the purpose.
(iv) Exercise of powers under section 4 of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 for the appointment of officers.
Regulatory measures :
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The Central Ground Water Authority is regulating
withdrawal of ground water by industries/ projects
in 839 Over-exploited and 226 Critical Assessment Units. List
of these critical areas has been circulated to
the State Pollution Control Boards and Ministry
of Environment & Forests which refer the new
industries/ projects to CGWA for obtaining permission.
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CGWA has notified 43 critical/ overexploited areas in parts of NCT Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Diu for control and
regulation of development of ground water resources.
For enforcement of the regulatory measures in
these areas, concerned Deputy Commissioners/ District
Magistrates have been directed under Section 5
of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate
ground water development in these notified areas.
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Construction of new ground water structures
is prohibited in the notified areas. Permission
of drilling tubewells is being granted only to
the Govt. agencies responsible for drinking water
supply.
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CGWA has notified 65 areas in the states
of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat NCT Delhi and Uttar Pradesh warranting urgent action for registration
of existing ground water extraction structures.
Based on the data thus generated, action for notifying
these areas for regulation has been initiated.
Ground water legislation
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To enable the States to enact Ground Water Legislation,
a Model Bill to Regulate and Control Development
of Ground Water has been circulated by the Ministry
of Water Resources to all the States/UTs. So far
the states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry
have enacted and implemented ground water legislation.
Important Notifications and Proformas
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Ministry
of Water Resources