Use of groundwater for washing trains: NGT directs railways to seek NOC from CGWA

The National Green Tribunal has directed the railways to seek 'no objection certificate' from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) for extraction of groundwater to clean train coaches and platforms.

A bench headed by Justice R S Rathore directed the CGWA to take up the matter on priority basis and decide the question of issuing 'no objection certificate' (NOC) at the earliest.

"The railways shall approach the Central Ground Water Authority for the purpose of NOC zonewise. On filing of the application the Zonal Office/ Regional Office of Central Ground Water Authority shall decide such application and pass appropriate orders within a period of one month thereafter," the bench said.

The direction came on a plea filed by NGO Society for Protection of Environment and Biodiversity and Ghaziabad-resident Sushil Raghav, seeking directions to stop "indiscriminate withdrawal" of groundwater by the national transporter.

It had alleged that in the last decade, the railways has sought only three NOCs from CGWA for withdrawal of groundwater "while it is indiscriminately and illegally extracting groundwater for all other purposes, across its setups, including its staff residential quarters."