The Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Bill, 2011, tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday, seeks to put restrictions on the reckless exploitation of groundwater.According to the Bill, permission has to be obtained from the Karnataka Ground Water Authority (to be set up) to dig a borewell or a well in a notified area. The applicant should declare the purpose of sinking the borewell.
The Authority can either grant or reject the permission considering the purpose, the groundwater table, the water quality and other factors.
A nominal fee will be charged for according the sanction. The fee is yet to be determined.
Notified area
The Authority, which functions under the government’s supervision will be headed by a chairman. It can recommend the government to notify any area for regulating groundwater use in public interest. However, the criteria to be followed are still unclear.
If the Bill becomes an Act, all those who own borewells or wells in the notified areas should register themselves with the Authority within four months.
They should also obtain a certificate to continue extracting groundwater.
Details such as the purpose, lifting devise used, water quality, hours of operation per day and total period of use in a year have to be furnished.
Further, all private drilling agencies should register themselves with the Authority.
The Bill prescribes a fine ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000, or imprisonment for a term ranging from three months to one year for any violation.
Proposed riders
* Karnataka Ground Water Authority proposed to be set up
* Permission from the Authority mandatory to sink borewell in a notified area
* Borewell owners, private drilling agencies to register with the Authority