Punjab blasts water Bill

Punjab today blasted the model Ground Water Bill which seeks registration of tubewells, ban on new wells in critical areas and mandatory ground water recharge and pricing, saying that it was impossible to enforce.

The model Bill has been followed up with corresponding state legislations with some changes in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Bengal, while Rajasthan and Gujarat have drafted their Bills.

However, states including Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have been reluctant to adopt the model Bill.

Punjab's director for the State Ground Water Authority Kuldeep Singh Takshi, participating in a national symposium on hydrology and ground water governance, today said that amendments in the Land Easement Act alone could enable enactment of the model Bill in states.