The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is a body constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control the development and management of groundwater resources in India.
Its key functions include:
Regulation & Control: Issuing NOCs, enforcing groundwater extraction norms.
Assessment & Management: Conducting surveys, identifying critical zones.
Policy & Guidelines: Promoting conservation and artificial recharge.
Legal Enforcement: Acting against violations, ensuring compliance.
Awareness & Capacity Building: Educating stakeholders, providing technical support.
Who Requires a CGWA NOC?
Industries
All industries extracting groundwater for processing, washing, cooling, etc.
Includes packaged drinking water units, manufacturing units, etc.
Infrastructure Projects
Projects requiring groundwater for domestic and utility purposes (not manufacturing).
Includes residential townships, commercial complexes, malls, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, etc.
Mining Projects
Projects involving groundwater abstraction for mining or dewatering purposes.
Includes open-cast mines, underground mines, stone quarries, sand mining, etc.
Water Supply Agencies
Government or public bodies supplying drinking water to communities.
Includes Jal Boards, Municipal Corporations, PHEDs, Panchayat water schemes.
Who is Exempted from Obtaining a CGWA NOC?
- Micro and small enterprises drawing less than 10 KL/day.
- Rural drinking water supply schemes.
- All industries, mining, and infrastructure projects drawing groundwater only for drinking/domestic purposes up to 5 KL/day.
- Residential apartments and group housing societies:
- For drinking water and domestic uses, abstracting up to 20 KL/day.
- Dwelling units for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under Government schemes.
- Individual domestic consumers for drinking water and domestic uses.
- Agricultural activities.
- Armed Forces establishments and Central Armed Police Forces establishments.
Note: Exempted industries still need an Exemption Certificate from CGWA and must install a digital flowmeter at the groundwater abstraction structure.
Who is Prohibited from Withdrawing Groundwater?
- Expansion of existing industry in Over Exploited Assessment Units.
- New packaged water industries in over exploited assessment units, even under MSME category.
- New industries (except MSMEs) in over exploited assessment units.
However, NOC for drinking/domestic use and green belt use by new industries is permitted in over exploited assessment units.
General Compliances After Obtaining CGWA NOC
To avoid legal penalties and ensure sustainable groundwater use, strict compliance is required:
- Install and operate tamper-proof digital water flow meter with telemetry within 1 month.
- Calibrate the flow meter annually from an authorized agency.
- Monitor groundwater annually.
- File Self-Compliance & Inspection reports on the portal yearly.
- Install rooftop rainwater harvesting structures and reuse runoff water.
- Obtain prior permission for any increase in abstraction.
- No additional groundwater structures without CGWA approval.
- Reuse treated wastewater for greenbelt/gardening where possible.
- Maintain daily logbooks for water consumption and reuse.
- Prevent groundwater contamination.
- Install piezometers (mandatory for >100 KL/day abstraction) and calibrate annually.
- Conduct water audits every 2 years for abstraction >100 KL/day.
- Apply online for renewal 90 days before NOC expiry.
- Ensure bulk water suppliers also hold a valid CGWA NOC.
Consequences of Not Obtaining CGWA NOC
Non-compliance can result in:
- Reputational damage
- Hefty penalties & legal action
- Regulatory non-compliance
- Failure in audits
- Loss of business opportunities
If applications are delayed or NOCs are not obtained, an Environmental Compensation (EC) of 20 times the groundwater abstraction charges is imposed.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Some major penalties include:
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