(a) whether the Union Government proposes to make it mandatory for all developers to get
a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to get their
building plans sanctioned due to decreasing ground water levels; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the monitoring system put in place for the purpose?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES ( SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) In accordance with the Guidelines/Criteria for evaluation of proposals/requests for
ground water abstraction, it is mandatory for all the New or under Expansion infrastructure
projects requiring withdrawal of ground water, to obtain ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from
Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
(b) Norms have been fixed for withdrawal of groundwater, inter alia, for infrastructure
projects. CGWA evaluates proposals based on guidelines/criteria for evaluation of proposals
before issuing NOC for withdrawal of groundwater. Some of the specific conditions for
infrastructure projects include that run-off from the entire project area is to be utilized
for artificial recharge to ground water unless risk of contamination exists or area is water
logged. Besides, the quantum of ground water for usage other than drinking/domestic shall
not exceed 25% of the total water abstraction in case of housing projects/residential townships.
CGWB monitors compliance of the condition laid down in the NOC by conducting random inspections
for ensuring withdrawal of ground water to the prescribed limit, artificial recharge to augment
ground water resources, ground water quality and recycling/reuse of water.