NGT raps CGWA for failing to notify areas on basis of groundwater availability

The National Green Tribunal has rapped the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) for failing to notify areas here on the basis of groundwater availability.

Taking strong exception to non-compliance of its order, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources to personally appear before it on November 12 and show cause why action should not be taken for defiance and non-compliance.

The tribunal noted there was total apathy on the part of the CGWA in not preforming its statutory duties and in failing to notify the areas which are over exploited, critical and semi-critical; and also in not regulating such areas.

"The authorities are comfortably sleeping over the matter in spite of pendency of more than six weeks. In spite of our direction on the last date, no steps are shown to have been taken. We had directed that the order be complied with within one month in view of the grave emergency. But this direction appears to have been ignored. Beyond seeking adjournment no progress has been made. We deprecate such irresponsible behaviour of the concerned officers," the bench said.

The tribunal had earlier directed CGWA to inform the Delhi Jal Board about the latest groundwater data in the national capital.

It had also rapped the city government and the DJB over illegal borewells in Narela and Bawana industrial areas which had led to serious depletion of water levels in the area.

The NGT had taken exception to the "abuse" of its interim order by the Delhi government to allow borewells in these industrial areas.

The tribunal was hearing petitions filed by the NGT Bar Association and Raj Hans Bansal opposing the illegal use of groundwater in Delhi.

The green panel had in 2014 set up committees comprising officials of the DJB, the CGWA, the city government and other bodies to seal the illegal borewells in these industrial areas and file a report.

It had also ordered the committees to prepare a comprehensive report on how many borewells were operating in the industrial pockets, including Bawana and Narela, and whether they had permission from the competent authority or were registered with the Delhi administration.

Taking serious note of the "water scarcity" in Delhi, the tribunal had pulled up the authorities for failing to perform their statutory administrative obligation in ensuring adequate water supply.