New Delhi: Kandhamal MP Dr. Achyuta Samanta raised question in the Lok Sabha regarding ground water extraction. Dr Samanta asked starred question regarding NOC for ground water extraction and sought the answer from the Jal Shakti Ministry. To it, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Jal Shakti replied that NOC won’t be given to any industry except MSMEs that too with conditions to reduce stress on ground water.
Dr Samanta also asked a supplementary question on what is being done to improve the quality of groundwater, especially with respect to high salinity, fluoride content, iron and nitrate content.
Here are the questions put by Dr. Samanta:
(a) whether as per the new guidelines to regulate and control ground water extraction in the country, notified by the Union Government/Central Ground Water Authority, No Objection Certificate (NOC) for ground water extraction is not to be granted to any new industry in over-exploited areas and if so, the details thereof;
(b) The reasons for exempting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under such guidelines;
(c) Whether the Government plans to incentivise industries to use rejected ground water for the purpose of recycling and reuse and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Government plans to use a real time monitoring mechanism to measure the level of ground water, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
Here are the answers to the above questions:
(a) As per Notified Guidelines dated 24.09.2020, in over-exploited assessment units, No Objection Certificate (NOC) shall not be granted for ground water extraction to any new industry except those falling in the category of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Further, NOC shall not be granted to new packaged water industries in over-exploited areas, even if they belong to MSME category.
(b) All industries falling under the category of MSME are not exempted from seeking NOC. However, Small and Micro Enterprises (SME) drawing less than 10 cum/day of ground water have been exempted to promote and motivate small businesses to contribute to economic development of the country. Further, the small exempted quantity may not affect the overall ground water scenario in a particular area. In addition, considering the large number of industries falling in the category of SME, regulation of ground water extraction in the said category may not be practical and implementable.
(c) There is no specific incentive for reuse of rejected water by the industries in the guidelines. However, indirect benefit has been included in the guidelines for promoting higher use of recycled water as the project proponents need to pay lesser amount towards ground water abstraction/restoration charges for reduced requirement of fresh water (because of use of treated waste water).
Further, the guidelines stipulate use of latest water efficient technologies by all the industries using the groundwater to reduce dependence on groundwater resources. In addition, all industries extracting groundwater are required to reduce their ground water use by at least 20 percent over the next three years through appropriate means.
(d) Ground water regulation guidelines provide for elaborate mechanism for monitoring of ground water levels by the project proponents. Proponents drawing ground water in excess of 50 cum per day are required to install digital water level recorders (DWLR) for real time monitoring of groundwater levels. Further, proponents extracting groundwater beyond 500 cum per day are required to install DWLR with telemetry system. In addition, Central Ground Water Board is planning to install DWLRs with telemetry system for real time monitoring of ground water resources in certain water stressed areas of the country.
Ms Kalinga