New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to inform the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) about the latest groundwater data in the national capital within a week.
A bench, headed by acting chairperson justice U.D. Salvi asked the authority to apprise the DJB regarding extraction of groundwater by the industries in over exploited areas.
The bench said: “Looking at the progress in the present cases and considering the role of CGWA in regulation, control, development and management of groundwater resources in the country, we direct the CGWA to communicate to the board about the latest available groundwater data in a a week.”
The tribunal warned that it would take coercive measures if the direction was not complied with within the stipulated date. During the hearing, the counsel representing the CGWA told the green panel that the 2017 policy for groundwater consumption “is in the making” and the groundwater data for such policy was available with it.
The matter will be further heard on February 9.
Earlier, the NGT had directed the secretary of the Delhi government, the DJB chief executive officer and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd managing director to hold a meeting on extraction of water for industrial use in Narela and Bawana.
It had also rapped the Delhi government and the DJB over illegal borewells in Narela and Bawana industrial areas in which had led to depletion of water levels.
The green panel took exception to the ‘abuse’ of the government’s interim order to allow borewells in these industrial areas. The NGT was hearing petitions filed by the NGT Bar Association and Raj Hans Bansal opposing the illegal use of groundwater in Delhi.
The NGT had in 2014 set up panels comprising DJB, CGWA and government officials and other bodies to seal the illegal borewells in these industrial areas and file a comprehensive report.
The green panel also ordered the concerned committees to prepare a report as to how many borewells were operating in the industrial areas of Bawana and Narela and if so, whether they were registered with the Delhi administration.
