(a) the names of the areas in the National Capital Region which have been included by the Central Water Commission in the dark zone list in regard to groundwater;
(b) the number of borewells registered in the said region so far along with the action taken in regard to illegal borewells; and
(c) the details thereof including the action taken in this regard during the last three years?
THE MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the Ministry of Water Resources and State Governments have jointly estimated replenishable ground water resources of the Country including the National Capital Region. As per the latest assessment (as on March 2009), 76 assessment units, in parts of 4 States namely Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, falling in National Capital region(NCR), have been categorized as “Over exploitedâ€. The list is given at Annexure-I.
(b)&(c) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Water Resources has carried out registration of ground water abstraction structures in parts of NCR to assess ground water withdrawal, as a onetime exercise. As per available data, a total of 104858 borewells / tubewells were registered by CGWA in four areas of NCR. Details are given in Annexure II. CGWA has appointed Officers-in-Charge of Revenue District (District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates) as ‘Authorized Officers’ to take up various regulatory measures in Notified Areas including regular checks against illegal borings. For enforcement of the regulatory directions issued under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, concerned Deputy Commissioners/ District Collectors/ District Magisrates have been authorized to take necessary action such as seizure of drilling rigs, sealing of tube wells and also discontinuation of electricity against owners of illegal boring as per the provisions of Section 15 to 21 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for any violation of directives of CGWA. The details of action taken in respect of illegal exploitation of ground water during the last three years (2010-13) are given at Annexure-III.