The Government of Maharashtra has issued the Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Rules, 2018 (“Draft Rules”) in accordance with the powers given to it by Section 57(1) of the Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Act 2009 (“Act”) for obtaining public feedback/comments/suggestions on the same.
Objections / suggestions can be submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, G.T. Hospital Building premises, Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Mumbai 400 001 within 1st September, 2018.
Key compliance requirements under the Draft Rules:
- Registration of existing well owners: The Draft Rules, brings in place the procedure in which the existing well owners can register their wells. This registration is subject to a notice published by the State Groundwater Authority mentioning the programme (calendar) and procedure for registration. It also clarifies that existing owners to obtain separate registration for having more than one well.
- Registration of new well owners: For a new well owner, who intends to dig a well in a notified area, the Draft Rules lay a mandate on such persons to apply before the Watershed Water Resources Committee for obtaining permission to carry out the activity.
- Permission required for digging / drilling wells more than 60 meter deep: The Draft Rules makes it mandatory to obtain a permission for digging/drilling deep wells of more than 60 meters depth in order to extract drinking water for drinking water purpose.
- Mandatory construction of rainwater harvesting structures: As per the Draft Rules, in case the occupant / developer / builder of a respective premise, fails to construct rainwater harvesting structures, within a period of 6 months from the date of notice of construction by the State Groundwater Authority, the same will be constructed by the local body and the cost would be recovered which shall be upto 1.25 times the cost of construction.
The above details signifies only a handful of the compliances under the Draft Rules which might apply to you basis your operations. However, for further details on the same, please go through the enclosed Draft Rules.
Source: Maharashtra Gazette
