BENGALURU: Residences and commercial establishments that are yet to register their old borewells with the Karnataka Ground Water Authority or the Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA) will have to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for the delay, said a public notice issued by CGWA. If not registered by March 31, 2022, such borewell owners must pay an additional environmental compensation charge too.
The notice issued on September 6 stated that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from one of the agencies is mandatory before drawing water from borewells. “Apartments, group housing societies, government water supply agencies in urban areas and industrial, infrastructure and mining projects and swimming pools, whether existing or new, drawing or proposing to draw groundwater, are required to obtain NOC as per the guidelines,” it said.
T Rajendiran, retired scientist from CGWA, said, “The new CGWA notice is a reminder. This is in line with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines. The penalty does not apply to those who have drilled new borewells. The new ones need to be registered by paying a fee of Rs 500 and getting an NOC.”
The groundwater abstraction and restoration charges of Rs 1 lakh were announced from September 24, 2020. “However, due to the pandemic, they were not implemented strictly,” he said.
The notice said, “All project proponents withdrawing groundwater, but who fail to apply for NOC by March 31, 2022, are liable to face legal action and pay environmental compensation.” But it did not elaborate on this compensation amount.