New rules to clamp down on borewells

New rules to clamp down on borewells

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 8, 2014: If all goes as planned, sinking borewells in close proximity to an existing borewell without prior permission could be a thing of the past in Dakshina Kannada. Any attempt to circumvent the ban could result in disconnection of power supply.

With the water levels in the district having undergone adverse changes over the past two decades, the Department of Mines and Geology is awaiting the notification of rules that would curb installation of borewells that pose a threat to the groundwater system.

Nearly a week ago, the District Office of the Department’s Ground Water Survey wing forwarded a list of nearly 5,800 wells-including open wells, borewells and tubewells-that are operated by the State government for drinking water purposes. This list, sent to the Gazette Department for printing at the Government General Press, doesn’t involve private borewells dug for irrigation purposes, said officials there.

Adding teeth

The identification of wells is a critical step towards notifying and implementing the Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2011, said P. Mallesh, Senior Geologist. One of the key points of the Act is that no borewell can be dug within 500m of an existing borewell without the prior permission of the District Administration.

“Currently, everyday we get around ten complaints of private borewells being dug. Unfortunately, we don’t have the power to stop as it is being done on private land…With the notification of the areas, we can control, stop and demolish unauthorised borewells,” said Mr. Mallesh, adding that the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) will be directed to disconnect power, while the police will pursue a criminal case.

Observing the pattern of wells, he said on enforcement (of the Act), it would be difficult to approve a borewell as the district appeared to be “saturated”.

Necessity

While the 2009 assessment of groundwater (done once in five years) listed 43 villages as being overexploited, officials said two watersheds (drainage basins) in Bantwal taluk have been listed as “critical” and “semi-critical”.

Mr. Mallesh said the observed fluctuation (that is, highest point is during rainy season, and lowest point during the dry season) of the aquifer (water-bearing soil/rock) had increased to seven metres in the past decade, from around 2m before. “This means, around 5m is lost, and can only be retrieved through recharge programmes,” he said.

Moreover, the notification in the district will also confer powers to the Groundwater Authority – to maintain, develop and recharge the groundwater levels – which has been hitherto only holding “preparation meetings”. The Act, however, will only be enforced once the notification is printed, then two months for public consultation, and then a final notification will be issued.