The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued an Office Memorandum dated 2nd November, 2018, which makes obtaining of a No Objection Certificate mandatory where ground water is proposed as a water source.
Industries will now need to obtain an NOC from the Central Ground Water Authority (“CGWA”)/ State Ground Water Authority (“SGWA”) where ground water has been proposed as a water source.
It has also been stated that the State Pollution Control Board (“SPCB”) will not issue Consent to Operate (“CTO”) until the permission to draw ground water has been approved by the CGWA/SGWA.
Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change