With the ground water level depleting at various locations in Orissa, the state government has decided to bring a separate act for control, utilisation and management of ground water.
This will be in line with the legislations made in the neighbouring states like Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh. It would map the ground water reserve at various locations and prescribe quantum of use by companies and others.
The government would issue notification for the purpose and action would be taken against the violators. The proposed legislation would be placed before the state assembly for approval in the next session of the state assembly, a senior official of the state water resources department said.
He said, the ground water level in some areas have dipped to 400 feet compared to 1000 feet in states like Rajasthan, Maharastra and Punjab.
During the last three months, about 80 percent of the water used was rainwater with the remaining sourced from the ground. He said, about 50 percent water of the Hirakud reservoir flows down to the sea and only 2 percent is supplied to the industry.