Ground water abstraction units to be registered in 5 districts

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) today directed owners of ground water abstraction structures in five districts of the national capital to register their units with the Delhi Jal Board in light of the fast declining water table in these areas.

CGWA told owners of ground water abstraction structures in East, North East, North West and West districts in the city to register their energised wells, bore-wells, tube-wells with DJB through nodal officers in their areas within a period of 90 days.

Owners of such units were cautioned that 'non-registration' would invite sealing.

However, non-energised dug wells or bore-wells fitted with hand pumps solely used for drinking and domestic purposes need not be registered.

Those who had already registered their units during 1998-99 were also advised to re-register in view of chages in the registration form.

Similar action was taken in the South and South West districts of the capital in view of the ground water dipping alarmingly way back in 2000.

Earlier, a bill aiming to impose a cess and regulate ground water extraction in the city was withdrawn by the government after facing strong oppostion by its own MLAs in the Assembly.

CGWA also directed group housing societies/institutions/ schools/hotels/industrial establishments/farm houses located in Faridabad, Ballabgarh, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, South and South West districts of Delhi as well as group housing societies in areas where the ground water levels were lower than eight m from the surface, to adopt Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting systems on their premises.

UNI IP SI KP1311