Builder mafia extracting groundwater by installing illegal borewells in Gurugram further aggravating problem of depleting groundwater.

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana- Pawan Kumar Bansal

Powerful builders are extracting ground-water by installing illegal borewells in millennium- city, Gurugram aggravating the problem of depleting groundwater.Recall that groundwater in Gurugram have been classified as “over- exploited” since 2013 by the Central Groundwater Authority adversely affecting the environment.

Conservation of ground-water should be the top priority since it has been depleting every year following construction of large number of high-rise buildings.A large part of Gurugram is in the dark-zone where construction activities are banned but it is going on with impunity.

Rakesh Sethi retired XEN,Northern Railways,Delhi and now resident of Gurugram said “it may be noted that ground- water table in Gurugram has dropped beyond workable-limits rendering the submersible pumps redundant.The situation is quite alarming. For sustainable development, it’s the need of hour to take concrete measures for water- conservation such as rain-water harvesting, drip irrigation system and rejuvenation of Jheel as per GURUJAL project.Every efforts must be made at home not to waste water, treatment-plant must be functional and augment the GWS through Chandu Budhera plant.”

Central Ground Water authority under CWPC has issued several reminders to conserve the water-table for future requirements as per norms of COP 29 Global Warming Summit.

Earlier there was ground water department under Ministry of Agriculture which was later attached with Irrigation Ministry but now Haryana Ground Water Authority has been constituted which is at present headed by Kesni Anand Arora, retired Chief Secretary of Haryana.
Upcoming Housing Societies are also illegally extracting groundwater by using submersible pumps during construction.
They have their own problems as they get permission from the concerned authority for installation of tubewell only after thay get occupation- certificate and arranging water-tanks for construction is very costly.No authority checks this rampant illegal extraction of water as it is a win-win situation for both.Local officers shut their eyes and get kickbacks and builders get groundwater for their projects.
Expressing deep concern N.C.Wadhwa, retired Haryana cadre IAS officer and Ex Vice-Chancellor of Manav Rachna University,
Faridabad said “keeping in view the prestigious urban planning & world class development in Gurugram, an important NCR town, it is imperative that law of the land is strictly enforced and ruthless exploitation of underground aquifers by builder-mafia is immediately stopped otherwise it will lead to catastrophic conditions putting the bright future of Gurugram into great danger as a global city. “ He said that It is good that Water Development Authority of Haryana has initiated effective steps to look into these serious violations of Ground water laws and then enforce its implementation urgently but it has to be given top priority at the highest level of Govt. otherwise water- availability situation may go from bad to worse seriously affecting the viability of Gurugram as a global city.

Recall that National Green Tribunal & Supreme Court have taken serious view about this aspect and asked for reports from the concerned authorities. Haryana Govt. Retired Chief Secretary Dharmvir said that this problem really needs to be pursued to its logical end, adding that powerful builders are extracting ground water by installing illegal borewells in Gurugram further aggravating the problem of depleting ground-water.
This is adversely affecting the environment..National Green Tribunal & Supreme Court have also taken serious view about this aspect and asked for reports from the concerned authorities in Haryana.
Sixty top builders,leading schools and a University are illegally extracting groundwater by installing borewells.
Keshni Anand Arora, Chairperson Haryana water resources Authority told that notices have been issued to the violators but they have not responded and now a committee has been formed to visit the sites and seal these illegal borewells.It is learnt that four notices were served but the violators are so powerful that they have not bothered to respond.