West Bengal to check groundwater use

West Bengal government plans to introduce a bill to safeguard the depleting ground water level by imposing restriction on indiscriminate use of water by industry as well as the firm sector.

Nandagopal Bhattacharjee, minister in charge, water investigation and development department, said the bill was being drafted and it would be placed in the Winter session of the Assembly.

"The ground water situation has reached an alarming situation and urgent steps must be taken to reverse it. We must simultaneously use ground water as well as surface water," he said.

Once the bill was passed, industry has to take prior approval mandatory from State Water Investigation Directorate before drilling deep tubewell for it own use. Moreover, they would be asked to treat the waste water and recycle it for re-use.

The same rule would be applied for real estate developers building housing complex and highrise buildings. "They can not indiscriminately use pump the ground water any more," the minister said.

Moreover, the bill will formulate special schemes to recharge old water bodies as well as preserving them. This may raise stormy debate since there are number of elements within the government which advocates filling up of water bodies for development, especially real estate.

The bill also seeks to desilt the rivers and tributaries so that their capacity to carry water rose. This would help in groundwater replenishment.

The minister said farm sector would be asked to use drip and sprinkle irrigation. "We should also change crop pattern and grow those which requires less water," he added.

About 10 per cent blocks in the country has fallen in the grip of over exploitation. In central Kolkata itself, ground water has gone down by 8-10 meters. in last few years.

Moreover, the state of West Bengal is facing a situation where groundwater has been contaminated with arsenic and fluoride.

"Comprehensive steps are to be taken to reverse the situation," the minister added.

Groundwater resource plays a pivotal role in the farm sector as 90 per cent of rural water supply in India is based on groundwater resource.

The minister also called for developing professional managers for groundwater development and management.

He lauded the effort of Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM) which launched a certificate course on this subject in association with Centre for Ground Water Studies.