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New Delhi, April 27,
Taking serious note of the rapidly depleting groundwater levels across India, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a high-level expert committee to recommend standard operating procedures (SoPs) and corrective measures for the worst-affected states.
Hearing a suo motu matter titled “UN Predicts Groundwater Level in India Will Reduce to Low by 2025” (O.A. No. 694/2023), the Principal Bench led by Justice Prakash Shrivastava flagged alarming trends emerging across the country. The proceedings were anchored in compiled data submitted by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), which paints a troubling picture of widespread over-extraction, regulatory gaps, and weak enforcement mechanisms.
The Tribunal observed that despite comprehensive guidelines issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2020 and later amendments, implementation on the ground remains patchy. In fact, the data reveals that several states have failed to effectively regulate illegal groundwater extraction or impose environmental compensation, a key deterrent under the policy framework.
The Tribunal was hearing a suo motu case based on reports warning that groundwater levels in several parts of the country, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains and north-western region, could fall to critically low levels. Data submitted by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) highlighted widespread over-extraction, weak enforcement of regulations, and inadequate action against illegal groundwater use.
Several states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and parts of Delhi, have reported alarming levels of groundwater stress, with a large number of assessment units falling in the “over-exploited” category. The report also pointed to gaps in implementing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to regulate groundwater extraction
Also read: Alarming groundwater pollution in Punjab revealed by IIT Mandi researchers
Observing that existing norms are not being effectively enforced at the ground level, the NGT directed the formation of a multi-disciplinary expert panel. The committee includes representatives from the National Geophysical Research Institute, Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, IIT Roorkee and the CGWA, which will act as the nodal agency.
The panel has been tasked with identifying regulatory gaps, suggesting measures to curb over-extraction, and framing SoPs for sustainable groundwater management, especially in critically affected regions. It will also recommend strategies for groundwater recharge and provide both general and state-specific solutions.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months. The matter will be taken up for further hearing on August 25, 2026.
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