The Bhopal district administration has banned the tube well mining (boring) till June 30. Now people will not be able to dig new tube wells. The order has been implemented with immediate effect.

In view of the falling groundwater level, Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh has taken this decision.

Under Section 6 (1) of the Madhya Pradesh Drinking Water Preservation Act, a ban has been imposed on mining of non-government and private tube wells in the entire district till June 30, 2024.

Collector Singh said, tube wells and boring machines will neither enter nor mine tube wells in the district without the permission of the concerned SDM. Machines passing through public roads will be exempted.

Collector Singh said, the concerned SDM and police officers have the right to seize such boring machines which enter restricted places in the district illegally, or attempt to mine or bore tube wells, and register an FIR in the concerned police station area. will be.

According to the order, there is a provision to punish the violation with a fine of Rs 2,000 or imprisonment up to two years or both. This order will not apply to tube well excavation done under government schemes. Tube well mining work can be done under the work plan by PHE. There will be no need for permission in this.

Ground water sources are being over-exploited for agricultural and commercial purposes in Bhopal district. Due to this, the water level of drinking water sources and tube wells is falling rapidly. Keeping in view the situation of drinking water crisis in the entire district in the coming summer due to falling ground water level, it is necessary to impose a ban on digging of new private tube wells for purposes other than drinking water in the entire district under the Madhya Pradesh Drinking Water Preservation Act 1986.

The Collector said, after examining the situation of drinking water crisis, it was revealed that if a ban is not imposed on mining of private tube wells in the district, then a situation of serious drinking water crisis may arise in the district during summers.