Grant of permit to extract and use Ground water in the Notified Area

(1) User of ground water desiring to sink a well or to convert the existing well into pumping well in the notified area for any purpose either on personal or community basis, shall apply to the Authority for grant of a permit for this purpose, and shall not proceed with any activity connected with such sinking or conversion unless a permit has been granted by the Authority. (2) Every application under sub-section (1) shall be made in such form, and shall contain such particulars and in such manner as may be prescribed. (3) On receipt of an application under sub-section (1), if the Authority is satisfied that it shall not be against public interest to do so, it may grant, subject to such conditions and restriction as may be specified, a permit authorizing the extraction and use of ground water. The conditions will include mandatory provision of artificial recharge structures of appropriate size to be constructed by the applicant within a period as specified by the Authority: Provided that no person shall be refused a permit unless he has been given an opportunity of being heard. (4) The decision regarding the grant or refusal of the permit shall be intimated by the Authority to the applicant within a period of 60 days from the receipt of the application. (5) In granting or refusing a permit under sub-section (3), the Authority shall have regard to: (a) the purpose or purposes for which ground water is to be used; (b) the existence of other competitive users; (c) the availability of ground water; (d) quantity of ground water to be drawn; (e) quality of ground water with reference to use; (f) spacing of ground water structures keeping in consideration the purpose for which ground water is to be used; (g) long-term ground water level behavior; (h) its likelihood of adversely affecting water availability of any drinking water source in its vicinity; (i) any other factor relevant thereto. (6) The permit shall be in such form as may be prescribed, and shall include: - (a) the devices used; (b) the quantity of ground water withdrawal and hours of operation per day; (c) the total period of use in each year; (d) the purpose or purposes for which ground water is being extracted; (e) in case the requirement of ground water is for purpose of drinking water, the approximate population to be served; (f) in case of irrigation well, the location and extend of area irrigated; and (g) in the case of State, Municipal or Community run water supply schemes, the details of the services involved in addition to the quantities of ground water extracted, the diversion or the pumping points and their locations. (7) Agriculture sector may be exempted from having NOC for ground water extraction and drawing of ground water less than 10cum per day. (8) Any user of groundwater desiring to sink a well within the forest reserved area, should take prior permission from Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department before apply to the authority. shall have regard to: - (a) the purpose or purposes for which ground water is being used. (b) the existence or other competitive users; (c) the availability of ground water; (d) any other fact relevant thereto. (6) If a registered well becomes defunct, this fact should be immediately brought to the notice of the Ground Water Authority by the user of such ground water and the defunct well should be sealed properly.