The National Green Tribunal’s Western Bench has issued formal notices to key Maharashtra authorities after receiving allegations of widespread groundwater extraction beyond regulatory limits in Pune district. The development underscores deepening concerns over sustainable water management and regulatory oversight.
During the hearing held on 19 June, the NGT directed that notices be served to the Pune district collector, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA), and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). All have been instructed to submit detailed replies within four weeks. A petition lodged by a local resident, represented by an environmental advocate, claimed 477 entities had secured No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), yet thousands more were allegedly extracting groundwater without permissions or failing to adhere to regulatory terms.
The petition highlighted two major compliance failures: the absence of piezometers—purpose-built observation wells required under guideline 9.0—to monitor groundwater levels, and a lack of mandatory annual water quality testing and reporting during April and May, which must be filed on the CGWA portal. Such gaps hinder accurate assessment of groundwater depletion and pollution. RTI filings by the petitioner revealed that while the CGWA maintains a public registry of NOC-holding entities, consolidated data on actual extraction volumes and condition compliance is lacking. This opacity hampers public oversight and regulatory accountability.
The tribunal, presided over by Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni, described the allegations as serious and justified the need for formal responses from regulatory bodies. The next hearing has been scheduled for 1 August. Sustainable groundwater management depends on systematic monitoring. Piezometers, often 30–300 metres deep, feed real-time data into the National Hydrograph Monitoring System. Without these, regulators cannot track seasonal or long-term water-level trends Similarly, failure to test and report water quality undermines assessments of contamination risks from industrial, agricultural, or domestic wastewater sources. This data deficit complicates interventions to prevent public health hazards.
Environmental analysts argue that NOC-based permissions are only part of the puzzle—post-issuance compliance is essential for long-term resource resilience. They liken the NGT’s move to earlier orders that cracked down on illegal extraction in other region, invoking the public trust doctrine to assert that groundwater belongs collectively to all citizens . Pune’s administrative response over the coming weeks will be closely scrutinised. Authorities are expected to submit comprehensive compliance audits, including whether piezometers have been installed and data uploaded as per regulations. Experts say the tribunal may also demand timelines for remediation—installation of missing monitoring wells, regular testing, and real-time data access for citizens. In some states, environmental compensation has been imposed on errant extractors.
A strategic move by the NGT, it places Pune’s groundwater governance under spotlight and may force regulatory agencies to re-evaluate enforcement mechanisms across Maharashtra’s urban centres. The tribunal’s follow-up in August could determine whether active steps—such as stop-orders on non-compliant extractors, mandatory compliance documentation, and proportional penalties—are mandated or merely recommended. For citizens and civic groups, the case offers an avenue for restoring equitable access to groundwater and reinforcing the principles of sustainable urbanisation. It also tests institutional capacities in managing water stress amid rapid development, climate variability, and population growth.
While the order does not currently halt extraction, it sets a precedent. A failure to respond adequately could pave the way for stronger enforcement actions—including mandating groundwater recharge, issuing show-cause notices, or levying fines. As India moves closer to embracing the zero-carbon city ideal, groundwater must be managed as an essential component of urban resilience. The NGT’s intervention in Pune could catalyse broader reform—aligning local action with environmental jurisprudence, equitable access, and science-based regulation.
Four weeks from now, Pune’s water regulators must provide more than just paperwork. They will need to demonstrate agency, transparency, and discipline in managing a resource that sustains millions.
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