Remove illegal tubewells: NGT directs Noida-based water plant

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a Noida-based water bottling unit to remove two tubewells installed in its premises for which it does not have permission from the Central Ground Water Authority.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the authorities to remove the tubewells belonging to the Beltek Canadian Water Ltd along with its pipes, which are upto the ground water level.
However, one tubewell for which the bottling unit has obtained permission will continue to operate, the tribunal said.
It also noted that another unit "A-one Mineral Water Industry" was operating illegally and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has already directed disconnection of power supply at its premises in the Surajpur Industrial area at Greater NOIDA in Uttar Pradesh.

"We direct that CGWA and UP Pollution Control Board shall ensure removal of the tubewells/pumps and its pipelines from the site in question belonging to A-one Mineral Water Industry. The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of the concerned area are directed to provide full help and assistance to these respondents to execute the order of this tribunal," the bench said.
It directed the CGWA to file an affidavit stating whether the area in question fell under the category of over-exploited area and how was the permission granted to the project.

The green panel had earlier imposed an environment compensation of Rs 10 lakh on the water bottling unit.

It had ordered a joint inspection of Beltek Canadian Water by the CPCB and the UPPCB to ascertain the number of tubewells installed there and the amount of water extracted.
It had directed the inspection team to specify the quantity of the water extracted, the nature of pollutants discharged and whether the area was over-exploited.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Delhi resident Shailesh Singh, through advocate Sudeep Dey, alleging that the unit located in Bisrakh block of Gautam Buddh Nagar district was extracting groundwater through borewells installed in the factory premises without permission from the CGWA.