Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA)

Water resources have resulted in an unsettling scenario due to the uncontrolled and rapid use that requires immediate action due to a lack of proper regulation in the state. Groundwater depletion, along with declining surface water levels in some areas, has left large swaths of the population without clean drinking water. Legislation must be passed to address the overexploitation and looming water crisis as it provides for the preservation, conservation, control, and regulation of water usage in the state, ensuring that the water regimen is quantitatively and qualitatively sustainable, particularly in stressed areas.

The State List subject includes covers water supply, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage, and water power which is listed as Entry 17 in List II of Schedule VII of the Indian Constitution. Rising demand for overexploitation of groundwater, along with declining surface flows due to climate change and other factors, foreshadows cataclysmic consequences in the not-too-distant future. The situation has aggravated the contamination of ground and surface water as a result of industrialization and urbanization, as the usable quantity of this precious resource has decreased dramatically in recent decades which was formerly thought to be almost free. At present, there is a severe threat to ground and surface water security, particularly access to healthy water for livelihood and drinking, endangering present and future generations.

Common resources of the people of the state are groundwater and surface water, and to ensure the long-term viability of this finite and irreplaceable resource is the responsibility of the State to meet the basic needs of current and future generations through effective resource management and conservation, as well as a legal framework appropriate to the challenges at hand. As a result, to ensure their rational, equitable, and long-term use, management and regulation are required by legislation governing the administration and regulation of the state's water resources.

HWRA permission for groundwater drilling/boring is required for:

• Industrial Usage
• Mining Usage
• Infrastructural Usage

HWRA permission is not required for

• Agricultural boring
• Domestic use boring

For groundwater abstraction, the HWRA NOC should not be issued to any new industry in over-exploited assessment units unless it falls within the category of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME). However, NOCs will be allowed for drinking and domestic use for workers, as well as used by these new industries. NOC would not be issued to new packaged water enterprises or water-intensive sectors in overexploited areas even if they fall under the MSME category.

The following particular conditions must be met for a NOC for groundwater extraction by industries to be granted:

• All industries taking groundwater in safe, semi-critical, and critical assessment units, as stated in these rules should pay Groundwater abstraction charges.
• All industries that abstract groundwater at a rate of 100-500 m3/d must conduct a self-annual water audit in accordance with HWRA's format and affidavit, and submit audit results to HWRA within three months after completion.
• The proponent will be obliged to use rooftop rainwater gathering and recharge in the project area. Industries that pollute groundwater (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, pigments, paints, textiles, tannery, pesticides/ insecticides, fertilizers, slaughterhouses, explosives, and so on) must collect rainwater and store it in surface storage tanks for use in the industry, reducing their groundwater abstraction requirements.
• It is illegal to inject treated or untreated wastewater into an aquifer system.
• Only if local government water supply agencies are unable to provide the required amount of water will a NOC be issued.
• For industries drawing/ intending to draw more than 500 m3/day of groundwater, construction of observation well(s) (piezometer)(s) within the premises and installation of appropriate water level monitoring mechanism shall be obligatory within 6 months from the date of issue of NOC. The project proponent is responsible for water level monitoring.
• Groundwater restoration charges must be paid by all operating industries that draw groundwater in over-exploited assessment units as outlined in these rules.
• All companies will be obliged to adopt the most up-to-date water-efficient technologies to reduce reliance on groundwater supplies.

An NOC for ground water abstraction will be required for all existing and upcoming mining projects. Because mining projects are site-specific, there will be no prohibition on the granting of NOCs for groundwater abstraction for such projects in over-exploited assessment units.

NOCs for mining projects are only granted if the following conditions are met:

• It will be necessary for all mining industries to ensure that water available from de-watering operations is adequately treated and used for irrigation, dust suppression, mining processes, downstream recharging, and maintaining e-flows in the river system.
• Mines drawing/proposing to draw more than 100 m3/day of ground water must construct observation wells (piezometers) throughout the perimeter of the premises for monthly ground water level monitoring. The depth and aquifer zone tapped in the piezometer must match the depth and aquifer zone of the pumping well/wells.
• To avoid contamination of surface water in the case of coal and other base metal mining, the project proponent must employ advanced dewatering technology (by constructing a succession of dewatering abstraction structures).
• Furthermore, all mining units must monitor the water quality of mine seepage and discharge using NABL accredited/govt. certified laboratories and provide the results at the time of self-compliance.
• All mining projects that draw ground water in safe, semi-critical, or critical assessment units must pay ground water abstraction charges as specified in these rules.
• All mining projects that use ground water in over-exploited assessment units must pay ground water restoration fees as specified in these rules.
• All mining projects that purchase ground water through tankers from irrigation tube wells must pay ground water restoration expenses as specified in these rules.
  

Issuing NOCs to projects in over-exploited assessment units is not prohibited because infrastructure projects are site-specific. Dewatering during construction and/or the usage of groundwater for construction may be required for new infrastructure projects/residential constructions. Candidates must get a letter of authorization from HWRA in both circumstances before beginning work. Groundwater may be used for construction in over-exploited assessment units, only if no treated sewage water is available within a 10-kilometer radius of the site. To get a NOC for groundwater abstraction new and existing infrastructure projects will be needed. No NOC will be given for groundwater extraction for Water Parks, Theme Parks, and Amusement Parks in over-exploited assessment units.

The NOC for groundwater abstraction will be issued provided the following conditions are met:

• All infrastructure projects drawing groundwater in safe, semi-critical, and critical assessment units, as specified in these rules require Groundwater abstraction charges.
• All infrastructure projects (new and existing) that draw groundwater in over-exploited assessment units, as specified in these rules are required for Groundwater restoration charges.
• In the case of infrastructure projects that need dewatering, the proponent will be expected to monitor the dewatering discharge rate regularly (using a digital water flow meter) and transmit the data to HWRA via the web portal as needed. The proponent should keep monitoring records and findings for two years, in case HWRA requires inspection or reporting.
• Installation of sewage treatment plants (STP) will be required for new developments using more than 50 m3 of groundwater per day. The water from the STP will be used for toilet flushing, car washing, and gardening, among other things.
• NOCs for infrastructure dewatering/construction activities must be valid for a set term as specified in the project proponent's detailed proposal.

• Impact Assessment Report
• MOA/AOA/Partnership deed
• Property Papers/Rent agreement
• Affidavit
• Pan card and UID of Authorised Person
• Rainwater Harvesting Details
• Non-Availability of certificate of water supply from Municipal Authority
• Mining Plan (For Mining Project)
• A completion certificate from the relevant agency is required. (For infrastructure projects)
• Comprehensive Report (For Mining Project)

For Industrial use

• The government fee for industrial use application is Rs.25,000 for 10 to 100 cum/day water extraction, Rs.50,000 for more than 100 but less than 500 cum/day of groundwater extraction, Rs.1,00,000 for more than 500 but less than 1000 cum/day and Rs.1,50,000 for daily water extraction of more than 1000 cum/day. For renewal, the application fee is half the applicable fee for a new NOC.

For infrastructure use

• For a Government /PSU/Semi-Government applicant, the Government fee is Rs.50,000 and for others, the fee is Rs. 1,50,000. For renewal, the application fee is half of the application fee for a new NOC.

For mining use

• The Government fee for a Direct user is Rs.1,50,000 and for an indirect User, it is Rs.75,000. The renewal fee is half of the applicable fee for a new NOC.

Metacorp Consulting fee - Rs.30,000 for up to 10 KLD water requirement.

Ambala -     

Over-exploited - Barara, Naraingarh, Saha    
Critical - Shahzadpur    
Semi-critical - Ambala-I    
Safe - Ambala-II

Bhiwani    

Over-exploited - Behal, Kairu, Loharu, Tosham    
Semi-critical -    Bhiwani    Bhiwani 
Safe - Khera, Siwani

Charkhi Dadri

Over-exploited - Badhra, Jhoju    
Semi-critical -    Ch. Dadri    
Safe - Baund

Faridabad    

Over-exploited - Ballabhgarh, Faridabad

Fatehabad    

Over-exploited - Fatehabad, Ratia, Tohana, Jakhal, Bhattu Kalan    
Critical - Bhuna    

Gurugram    

Over-exploited - Farukhnagar, Pataudi, Sohna, Gurugram    
        
Hissar    

Over-exploited - Adampur, Agroha, Narnaund    
Critical - Barwala    
Semi-critical - Bass, Hisar-I, Hisar-II, Uklana
Safe -    Hansi

Jhajjar    

Safe - Jhajjar, Matanhail, Salhawas, Beri, Bhadurgarh

Jind

Over-exploited - Alewa, Uchana, Ujhana,Safidon, Jind
Semi-critical -    Pillukhera    
Safe - Julana, Narwana

Kaithal

Over-exploited - Siwan, Gulha, Kaithal, Kalyat, Pundri, Rajaund, Dhand

Karnal

Over-exploited -     Assandh, Gharaunda, Karnal, Nilokheri, Nissing at Chirao 
Semi-critical -    Indri

Kurukshetra

Over-exploited - Ismailabad, Babain, Ladwa, Pehowa, Shahbad, Thanesar, Pipli    

M.garh    

Over-exploited - Kanina, Mahendragarh    
Semi-Critical -    Nangal Chaudhary, Satnali, Simha, Ateli Nangal
Safe - Narnaul, Nizampur

Mewat

Over-exploited - Punhana, Tauru    
Semi-critical -    Nuh, Ferozepur Jhirka
Safe- Nagina

Palwal    

Over-exploited - Hassanpur, Hathin, Hodel, Palwal    

Panchkula    

Semi-critical - Raipur Rani
Safe - Pinjore, Barwala

Panipat

Over-exploited - Bapoli, Israna, Madlauda, Panipat, Samalkha

Rewari

Over-exploited - Khol, Rewari, Nahar 
Semi-critical -    Dahina, Jatusana
Safe - Bawal

Rohtak            

Safe - Lakhan Majra, Meham, Kalanaur, Sampla, Rohtak

Sirsa    

Over-exploited - Ellenabad, Rania, Sirsa, Nathusari Chopta, Baraguda, Odhan, Dabwali

Sonepat

Over-exploited - Ganaur, Sonepat, Rai
Semi-critical - Mundlana
Safe- Gohana, Kathura, Kharkhoda

Yamunanagar

Over-exploited - Chachrauli, Jagadhri, Mustafabad, Khizrabad, Radour 
Semi-critical - Sadaura, Bilaspur