Govt aims to strike a balance between water for drinking and irrigation.
To ensure effective management of the ground water, a proposed amendment to the Maharashtra Groundwater (Regulation for drinking water purposes) Act, 1993, aims to strike a balance between protecting drinking water resources, and an optimum utilisation of groundwater for the irrigation.
It also seeks to establish a regulatory body, namely, 'State Groundwater Authority'. Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Bill, 2009, was approved by the cabinet in 2008. Its final draft will be tabled during the winter session of the state legislature, sources said.
Maharashtra was one of the few states to bring in a law to regulate the exploitation of groundwater. As per the 1993 act, the groundwater developmental activities in "Over-Exploited and Critical watersheds" are prohibited. It is district collector's responsibility to notify an area as an Over-Exploited and Critical watershed. However, act does not provide for the community participation framework, and the effective management of groundwater, it was felt.
The bill aims at facilitating and ensuring sustainable and adequate supply of groundwater for various categories of users, and protecting the public drinking water resources.
A 'State Groundwater Authority' and several district-level authorities would be set up for this purpose. These new bodies, in consultation with Watershed Water Resources Committees, will manage and regulate groundwater usage in over-exploited areas, taking local communities along. The bill envisages registration of well owners, rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge, registration of drilling rigs, declaration of water scarcity area, prohibition of construction of well in certain areas, etc.
