Legal action against illegal tubewells in Haryana

Gurgram, May 7: Shortage of water due to the summer season is a challenge in front of many municipal bodies. Illegal storage and making money out if draws water from illegal tube wells is a matter of concern. Many parts of Haryana are facing water scarcity as reeling under heat wave condition. The district administration on Monday took action against water mafia in Gurgram. It sealed seven illegal tube wells near Ullawas village. This was ordered by Gurgram district commissioner Amit Khatri.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a complete ban on borewells and tubewells in December 2010. The court has asked the administration not to give out permits without consultation with the court.

Water mafia was drawing up water from these tube wells storing them in tankers and selling them. A team led by block development and panchayat officer Navneet Kaur raided the sites and sealed the tube wells.

Gurgram district was marked as a ‘dark zone’ by the Central Ground Water Board in 2013. To install a tube well in Gurgram, one needs prior permission from the authority. In a specific condition, District Commissioner can give a permission to install tube well only for drinking water, that too at places where no water supply is provided by the public health engineering department or municipal corporation.