Are six Agra hotels drawing groundwater with proper permission? questions NGT

Agra: Hearing a case regarding the alleged illegal drawing of groundwater by six five-star Agra hotels, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to file an affidavit within two weeks and stating how many of these hotels have been given proper permission.

The court was hearing a petition filed in September last year by Delhi-based environmentalist, Shailesh Singh, against six luxury hotels here for drawing millions of litres of ground water illegally.

Singh told TOI, “CGWA has informed the court that none of the hotels have permission to extract ground water. Getting no clarity on the matter, NGT gave a week’s time to CGWA to file an affidavit, stating which hotels have permission to draw water and which do not. Now the matter will come up for final hearing on October 5.”

“Put a comprehensive list on record within two weeks from today as to which of the hotel, subject matter of the present application, has been granted/refused/pending for permission to extract ground water,” NGT order stated.

Earlier, NGT, where the petition seeking heavy penalty on these hotels for damaging the environment is filed, had ordered UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) officials to inspect five-stars and submit a report.

According to the inspection reports, of which TOI has a copy, none of the hotels at present have permission from CGWA for ground water extraction, although each of them have installed sewerage treatment plants (STPs) to treat waste water.
While two five-stars were using the STP-treated water for horticulture and irrigation, the other three hotels were releasing a major portion into the municipal drain after using the water partially in their gardens, the reports said. One hotel has written to the CGWA seeking its permission.

UPPCB regional officer Ram Karan had told TOI, “Earlier there was no rule to seek permission of CGWA for extracting ground water. Now when the tribunal has made it mandatory, hotels will approach the CGWA and seek its permission.”

Singh raised doubt over permission being granted by CGWA to hotels. “Even if hotels apply for CGWA approval, it cannot be granted as the authority has already declared Agra to be in dark zone as far as ground water level is concerned,” he said.
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