Illegal water extraction: 24 factories slapped with Rs 157 cr fine

The Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA) has levied an environmental compensation (EC) of Rs 157 crore on 24 factories in Sonipat, citing their violation of environmental norms and unauthorized withdrawal of groundwater.

This action follows the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directive to Haryana to address violations by industries, prompted by a plea from Varun Gulati, a Delhi-based activist. Gulati highlighted the rampant illegal extraction of groundwater by numerous units, emphasizing the authorities’ failure to tackle the issue. HWRA Chairperson Kesni Anand Arora explained that the compensation aligns with NGT compliance. In response to the tribunal’s order, the Deputy Commissioner of Sonipat and the Regional Officer of HSPCB Sonipat urgently urged HWRA to prioritize the matter.

They requested the imposition of EC on industrial units that have abstracted groundwater without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from CGWA or HWRA, ensuring the submission of a compliance report before the NGT within the specified period.

HWRA has been surveying major cities and meeting stakeholders for one year. Arora said, “We have been enforcing the law as necessary. In the past, we sealed units and imposed penalties in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, and Panipat, where the violation is maximum.”

HWRA has the power to levy EC and take penal action against illegal borewells/ tube wells to stop the extraction of water and further closure of the project under section 19 (4) or the Haryana Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation, and Management) Authority Act, 2020.

Varun Gulati said, “The district administration initially imposed an EC of 97 crore on these factories, which was later increased to Rs 157 crore.”

According to CGWA records, out of 141 blocks in Haryana.
85 (60% of the state’s geographical area) reached the ‘red’ category in 2020 due to groundwater overexploitation. In 2004, CGWA reported that 55 blocks fell under the ‘red category’, which means that 30 more blocks have come under the distressed category now, which is a rise of 21%. The annual groundwater withdrawal in Haryana is 137% of its annual extractable groundwater resources, compared to the national average of 63%.