In a move to check depleting groundwater, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has come out with a draft guideline for issuance of ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC), exempting small farmers from the need of an NOC from local revenue officials or district magistrate to use groundwater for agriculture purposes. The draft was sent to States and Union Territories for their feedback over the next 60 days.
The draft guidelines also exempted from NOC to those who use ground water for drinking purposes. The draft also made it clear that NOC would not be granted to use groundwater for construction activities.
“All industries, mining, infrastructure dewatering projects, whether existing, new, under expansion and drawing/proposing to draw groundwater through energized means shall need to obtain permission for groundwater withdrawal from the CGWA”, it said.
The draft guidelines come after directions from the National Green Tribunal to ensure that groundwater withdrawal is in accordance with the law. The draft has been sent to States and Union Territories to their get feedback over the next 60 days.
“As per Minor Irrigation Census 2006-07, 85 per cent of wells are owned by marginal, small and semi-medium farmers having land holding upto 4 hectares (ha). Around 11 percent of wells are owned by medium farmers having land holding 4 to 10 ha land and more than 2 per cent of the wells are owned by big farmers having land holding more than 10 ha. Since livelihood of farmers is dependent on agriculture, they shall be exempted from obtaining NOC from the Authorized Officer,” the draft guidelines said.
However, the guidelines call for medium and large farmers to follow water conservation measures to ensure sustainability of groundwater resources.
According to draft guidelines, “All users drawing/ proposing to draw ground water through non-energised means and pump of upto 2 horsepower from a single tubewell in their premises will be exempted from seeking NOC. “Individuals would be required to register their wells with the CGWA. However, those drawing/ proposing to draw ground water through pump of higher HP and/ or through more than one functional tubewell shall be required to seek NOC for ground water withdrawal,” it said.
As far as individual households and builder flats other than Group Housing Schemes are concerned, they will have to apply for NOC under builder flats other than Group Housing Schemes. “In case of builder flats in a single plot, any one representative of all the flat owners can apply for NOC. The NOC shall be valid for a period of 5 years from the date of issue or till such time public water supply is provided to the household, whichever is earlier,” it said.
The draft guidelines call for a water conservation fee-based on quantum of groundwater extracted, to be paid to States. They state that Government infrastructure projects, Government water supply agencies and group housing societies/ private housing societies with only basic amenities will also be exempt from the fee.
As per the last assessment (as on March 2011) of replenishable ground water resources, the total annual replenishable ground water resource in the country is around 433 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) and net annual ground water availability is 398 BCM. The stage of ground water development/ utilisation has been assessed as 62 percent. As per the last assessment (Year-2011) of Dynamic Ground Water Resources, out of 6,607 assessment units (Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas/ Firkas/ Districts) in the Country, 1,071 units falling in 16 states and two UTs have been categorised as ‘Over-Exploited’. In addition, 217 assessment units are ‘Critical’ and 697 are ‘Semi-Critical’ on the basis of declining ground water level and stage of ground water development/utilisation.
The draft guidelines further states new infrastructure projects requiring dewatering during construction
activity shall obtain NOC for the same before commencement of work.