The National Green Tribunal on Monday pulled up the Centre over its submissions that restriction on groundwater extraction would have an adverse impact on industrial production and employment opportunities and the GDP of some States.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel observed: “Exemptions for infrastructure projects, MSMEs or other industries or commercial purposes except drinking water, where supply is not otherwise available in water stressed areas, will be against sustainable development and public trust doctrine unless individual impact assessment is conducted and permitting such extraction found viable.”
The green panel directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA) to ensure that no general permission is given without an environmental assessment of each activity.
CGWA flayed
Coming down heavily on the CGWA, the Bench said: “No road map has been provided on how the new regime will check and neutralise falling groundwater levels. There is neither a claim that in the last 24 years of regulation by the CGWA, groundwater levels have improved nor any projection for future improved.”
