NGT cautions Chandigarh on depleting water table

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, August 28

Raising concerns over the depleting water table in Chandigarh, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the UT Administration to take all measures to minimise the withdrawal of groundwater. To check the decline in the groundwater level, the green tribunal has also asked the UT to lay emphasis on the reuse of waste water, especially by bulk users, besides making rainwater harvesting mandatory in the city.

Reasons for depleting level

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Over-extraction of groundwater

Poor recharge system

‘Minimise use of groundwater’

Chandigarh depends on groundwater to meet its requirements of potable water. Hence, it is imperative that the UT takes all measures to minimise the use of groundwater sources as it’s scarce and depletable if overdrawn. — NGT

“Chandigarh depends on groundwater to meet its requirements of potable water. Hence, it is imperative that the UT takes all measures to minimise the use of groundwater sources as it’s scarce and depletable if overdrawn,” stated the NGT on a report submitted by the UT Administration on compliance with solid waste management and sewage management in the city. Stressing the need for reusing waste water, the NGT stated that sewage should be treated, and treated sewage with no bacterial load can be used by the commercial establishments such as malls, industrial estates, automobile units and power plants requiring water for their processes or otherwise. The treated water can also be used at local bodies institutions, universities, railway station, bus stands and playgrounds to save potable water for drinking, observed the tribunal. Resorts and hotels are required to adopt zero waste policy, including waste water reuse within the resort/hotel area, stated the tribunal.

According to the data tabled by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in the Lok Sabha last year, Chandigarh has registered a decline in the groundwater level at 55 per cent of its tubewells monitored by the authorities concerned, against the national average of 38 per cent. While 62 per cent of the tubewells across the country showed a rise in the groundwater level, 45 per cent units in the city have reported a similar trend.

The ministry stated that the Central Ground Water Board periodically monitoring the groundwater level through a network of wells.

As per the water-level data collected by the board in November 2020, of 11 tubewells monitored in Chandigarh, three tubewells registered a rise of 0-2 metre and two recorded an increase of 2-4 metre. On the contrary, five tubewells registered a fall of 0-2 metre and the water level went down more than 4 metre in one tubewell.

An analysis of the water-level data indicates that about 45.5 per cent of the wells have registered a decline in the groundwater level in the range of 0-2 metre, whereas around 27.3 per cent of the wells have also reported a rise in the groundwater level in the same range in the city. A senior MC official said the main reasons for the depleting groundwater was over-extraction and a poor recharge system.