Groundwater like 'fixed deposit', allow limited use: Par panel to govt

The panel said the government should encourage the water packaging industries based on the public-private-partnership model

Describing groundwater as a bank "fixed deposit", a parliamentary panel has suggested to the government that it should allow its limited use in extraordinary situations only.

The panel made the remarks in view of the increasing demand for potable water and the depleting groundwater level.

It said the government should encourage the water packaging industries based on the public-private-partnership model.

The parliamentary standing committee on water resources said in a recent report on the socio-economic impact of commercial exploitation of water by industries that setting up of water packaging units was a government initiative to ensure the availability of potable water to people.

The committee opined that the government's biggest social responsibility is to end the gap between demand and supply of water for consumption.

"The committee recommends that the government must play an important role in making available pure and safe water. Groundwater is a fixed deposit for us and is very important to meet the future demand of water," its report stated.

The committee strongly recommends that the government should allow groundwater use only in extraordinary situations, the report said.