Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding state of groundwater in Haryana, 23/01/2025
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News Item titled "Haryana’s 60.48% groundwater over exploited Kurukshetra worst Jhajjar best says report" appearing in The Tribune dated 08.01.2025 dated 23/01/2025.
The Original Application is registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item titled "Haryana’s 60.48% groundwater over exploited Kurukshetra worst Jhajjar best says report” appearing in The Tribune dated 08.01.2025. The matter relates to the alarming levels of groundwater exploitation in Haryana. As per the article, the state is extracting 136% of its annual replenishable groundwater, placing it among the regions where extraction surpasses natural recharge rates.
The news item states that as per a report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), 60.48% of Haryana's groundwater blocks are overexploited, while only 28.4% (12,269.36 sq. km) is categorised as safe. Additionally, 11.12% of the area is classified as critical or semi-critical. Kurukshetra district is the most affected, with an extraction rate of 228.42%, indicating that groundwater is being withdrawn at more than twice the rate of its natural recharge. Faridabad and Gurugram, the state’s most populated districts, show alarming extraction rates of 180.89% and 212.77%, respectively. In contrast, Jhajjar district has the lowest extraction rate at 51.01%, suggesting a more sustainable usage pattern. Moreover, the news item asserted that following the monsoon season, groundwater extraction increases significantly, causing a decline in water tables.
The CGWB's assessment underscores the critical need for sustainable water management practices in Haryana to address the overexploitation of groundwater resources and ensure long-term water security for the state's agricultural, industrial, and domestic needs.
The NGT directed Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB); Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, through its Regional Office, (Haryana) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Haryana. The NGT, January 23, 2025 directed the respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the tribunal at least one week before the next hearing date, May 6, 2025.