2013 scheme allowed disclosure of groundwater use: Delhi govt to NGT

The Delhi government has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that a voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) framed in 2013 gave the option to private and government bodies to apprise the concerned authorities about their use of tubewells and borewells.

The government’s submission, via an affidavit dated December 6, said the scheme was framed during a meeting held between the secretary (environment), the Delhi Jal Board CEO, and the chairman of the Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA), with a public advertisement over the same issued the next year.

The affidavit comes after NGT last month said exemptions given to 185 guesthouses in Paharganj as part of VDS appeared to be some kind of “scam” since no Central or state government body was aware of who formulated such a scheme. The green court had stated that the Union ministry of environment forest and climate change, CGWA, and DJB had all denied framing such a policy, and had directed the Delhi government to disclose who started this scheme.

“Prima facie it appears that some kind of scam is going on where, though no VDS is available with the authorities, no authority knows who framed the VDS and no one has a copy of it. Yet, the authorities are extending the concessions based on VDS. We expect the chief secretary of the GNCTD to inquire about this issue,” the tribunal had observed on November 27.

In its reply dated December 6 by the director (environment) on behalf of the Delhi chief secretary, the government said a meeting was held in 2013, when such a policy was discussed and subsequently formulated.

“As per the minutes of the meeting constituted under the chairmanship of the then secretary (environment) with the CEO DJB, DC (south west), divisional commissioner, chairman CGWA and secretary irrigation and flood control department… for collating data of illegal as well as permissible borewells/tubewells,” said the submission.

In a subsequent meeting on April 21, 2014, an advertisement in newspapers was issued by the department of environment, seeking voluntary disclosure of all tubewells/borewells within three months, with the format of disclosure also shared on DJB’s website, the affidavit said.

NGT is hearing a plea filed by Delhi activist Varun Gulati, seeking action against guesthouses in Paharganj withdrawing groundwater illegally.

In November 2023, DPCC identified 536 guesthouses and hotels in Paharganj, of which 442 were found to be extracting groundwater. Another 17 guesthouses were found shut, and 77 were not using groundwater, DPCC had said.

Initially, notices were issued to only 257 guesthouses, with 185 found to be extracting groundwater citing DJB’s VDS. However, in August this year, DPCC said such a scheme was disregarded by them, and all 442 guesthouses were fined ₹1 lakh each.