Water extraction: Collectors told to submit status report

A division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Krishnan Ramasamy, on perusing the status report filed by the Chief Engineer, W.R.D/PWD State Ground and Surface Water Sources, said “the report appears to be incomplete, wherein, only 14 District Collectors have given their status reports, in compliance with the previous directions of this Court. The remaining 22 District Collectors are yet to give their status reports.”

“We are not inclined to grant time beyond four weeks for this purpose and after four weeks, we may re-impose the same restrictions which were relaxed under the previous orders of the Court looking to the COVID situation. In case, status report is not filed by the remaining 22 District Collectors also, actions against them on individual basis may also be initiated by the Court,” the bench said.

The case relates to a plea moved by Writ Petition moved by M Sivamuthu of Neat India Organisaton, seeking penal action against such industries that exploit groundwater without appropriate licence under the Chennai metropolitan Ground Water Regulation Act, 1987. He had sought for a direction to the state to implement the scheme of artificial recharge to preserve and improve the ground water level and take penal action against offenders.

During the course of the hearing, the bench led by Justice Vineet Kothari on finding that out of the 261 units operating in the 32 districts in the State only 13 of them have been closed while 116 units have applied for renewal of licence, expressed its dissatisfaction over the compliance by the authorities to the directions issued by this Court to close the units, which are drawing underground water without proper licence and permission.

However, owing to the COVID-19 situation the bench had allowed the Government to proceed with a temporary scheme with suitable conditions for allowing production of the water packaging units until July 31, 2020 and directed the respective District Level Monitoring Committee to supervise the implementation and submit a report.