By Solar Times Bureau
CGWA accords ‘No Objection Certificate’ to the firms for withdrawal of ground water
Water scarcity is a major global problem faced by the whole world. As the population and urbanization is increasing water consumption is increasing. Ground water level is decreasing rapidly, as ground water extraction is carried on large scale. Hence, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has fixed norms for withdrawal of ground water by industries, in order to control the withdrawal and balance the level of ground water.
The industries extract ground water for using water as raw material including packaged water companies, the level of extraction was increased, which was creating scarcity and wastage of ground water, norms fixed by CGWA will be implemented on all such industries. Norms fixed by CGWA for extraction of ground water by such industries are as under:
| Category of area as per ground
water resource assessment (2009) |
Ground water withdrawal limit |
| Safe | Withdrawal limited to 200% of ground water recharge |
| Semi-critical | Withdrawal limited to 100% of ground water recharge |
| Critical | Withdrawal limited to 50% of ground water recharge |
| Over-exploited and Notified Areas | Permission is not granted. |
The norms are liable on the states of the country and CGWA has directed all State Pollution Control Boards to set up monitor the industries on their implementation of norms. The Board will monitor to verify actual requirement and withdrawal of ground water including implementation of artificial recharge measures. CGWA has also advised Bureau of Indian Standards to advise all concerned industries using ground water as their raw material to obtain “No Objection Certificate” for ground water withdrawal from CGWA, which is mandatory.
CGWA accords ‘No Objection Certificate’ to the firms for withdrawal of ground water, wherein industries are required to report about the source and number of ground water abstraction structures while applying for ‘No Objection Certificate’. Submission of compliance report of conditions imposed in ‘No Objection Certificate’ is mandatory.