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New Delhi, February 26
The pointers issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to control and management floor water extraction within the nation is just a brand new cowl supplied to the outdated scheme with minor variations, alterations and modifications, the National Green Tribunal has stated.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A Ok Goel stated the 2020 pointers broadly don’t fulfill instructions given by it repeatedly and persistently.
“We do not find much improvement in Guidelines 2020. Virtually, it is only a new cover provided to the old scheme with minor variations, alterations and modifications here and there, but having no substantial consequences to the root cause and central issue, i.e. protection and preservation of ground water, prevention of, not only further depletion, but a serious and effective attempt for recharge and restoration,” the bench stated.
The NGT stated there’s a twist when the rules says that NOC shall not be granted to new packaged water industries in over-exploited areas even when they belong to MSME class.
“In Guidelines 2015, no NOC was to be given to any water intensive industry, even if it is MSME, in over exploited assessment areas. Now it is restricted to packaged water industries. Apparently, a drastic relaxation has been given in respect of water intensive industries, for no reason, and that too in flagrant defiance of order of Tribunal,” it stated.
The important and semi-critical areas have been left untouched and there’s no such restriction in any respect, the tribunal stated.
The inexperienced panel stated sadly the ministry involved and the Central Ground Water Authority have acted in haste and have printed Guidelines 2020 whereby many of the infirmities, irregularities, and failures, identified on the a part of CGWA, in earlier pointers, as such, are current.
“Though there are minor variations and alterations, but the same are wholly inconsequential, looking to the gravity of the situation, arising due to consistent depletion of ground water.
“The notification issued by UP ground water department shows that in the State of UP, almost every district, and some districts as a whole, are in serious stressed condition, having depletion of water to the extent of critical and over-exploited level, and a very few are exceptions,” the bench stated.
The NGT stated the situation of NCT of Delhi with regard to floor water is already, critically alarming.
“In this grim situation, continuous laxity on the part of Authorities and CGWA in particular, is a matter of serious concern. We have to opt now for some stringent measures else we also would be failing in our duty of dedicated vigilant to protect environment,” it stated.
The tribunal additionally imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 1.85 crore on Moon Beverages Ltd situated at Greater Noida, Rs 13.24 crore on Moon Beverage Ltd’s Sahibabad unit and Rs 9.71 crore on Varun Beverages Ltd’s Greater Noida unit.
The NGT additionally constituted a joint committee comprising officers from the Environment Ministry, Ministry of Jal Shakti, CGWA, UPGWD and District Magistrates of the districts involved.
The committee shall put together restoration plan inside two months, execute the identical in subsequent six months and submit compliance report back to it.
“We also constitute a joint Committee of CPCB, CGWA, UPGWD and UPPCB to conduct survey in UP and prepare data of various categories drawing ground water for commercial purposes, study impact assessment, suggest ways and modes to reduce ground water extraction in OCS areas, and how ground water level can be improved,” it stated.
The tribunal was listening to a plea filed by Ghaziabad-resident Sushil Bhatt elevating the problem of extraction of floor water in an indiscreet and arbitrary method, even in areas the place availability of floor water is in excessive shortage.
The plea, filed by advocate Rohit Kumar Tuteja, alleged that the items talked about above haven’t obtained any ‘No Objection Certificate’ from Central Ground Water Authority for extraction of floor water.
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