UP cabinet clears draft guidelines to make registration of submersible pumps mandatory

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday approved a draft of fresh guidelines to make the registration of submersible pumps mandatory for improving falling groundwater level in the state.

The draft, which seeks to ensure an effective implementation of the provisions under the Uttar Pradesh Groundwater Management and Regulation Act, 2019, was cleared at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here.

Under the proposed guidelines, the registration will be mandatory to install submersible pumps, Jal Shakti Minister Mahendra Singh told reporters, adding that domestic users and farmers will not have to pay any fee.

He said the registration could be done online.

Along with this, the installation of a rainwater harvesting system has also been made mandatory in all private and government schools and colleges, he said.

Singh said in the urban areas, if one installs a submersible pump to build a house on a plot larger than 300 sqm, then it will be necessary to install a rainwater harvesting system.

"It will also be mandatory for boring companies to get themselves registered. They will have to give all information every three months. Its purpose is to improve groundwater level," he said, adding that the map of government and private buildings will be cleared only when they have a provision to install a rainwater harvesting system.

The fresh rules has a provision for punishment and fine against those who contaminate the groundwater.

Under this, if a person is caught for the first time while polluting the groundwater, then there will be a provision of punishment from 6 months up to 1 year, the minister said