On February 11, 2020, The Uttar Pradesh (UP) state Cabinet, chaired by its Chief Minister(CM) Yogi Adityanath has approved the Ground Water Act-2020 with the aim to improve the falling level of ground water.
Key Points:
i.The cabinet has also approved the provisions of penalty and punishment against the person who contaminate the ground water level.
ii.Ground Water Act 2020:
Under this new act, online registration will be mandatory to install submersible pumps. Domestic consumers and farmers will not have to pay any fee for this registration.
The cabinet has made it mandatory to install rainwater harvesting system in the buildings of all private and government schools and colleges through this act.
If a landlord applies submersible pumps to build a house larger than 300 sqm in the urban area, then it will be necessary to install a rainwater harvesting system. For this, a committee of gram panchayat to state level has been formed.
Boring companies will also have to get their registration mandatory. Every 3 months they have to give information to the government.
If someone pollutes ground water through boring pipes, then a provision for punishment and penalty has also been made against him.
iii.Fine & punishment:
The cabinet has also made provision for punishment and fine against the person who contaminate ground water.
Under this, if a person is caught for the 1st time while polluting ground water, then there will be a provision of punishment from 6 months to 1 year. Along with this, he will also have to pay an penalty of 2 lakh – 5 lakh rupees.
If he/she caught for the 2nd time, there will be a penalty of 5 lakh – 10 lakh rupees and punishment from 2 years – 5 years.
In this way, if a person is caught for the 3rd time, then he will face punishment from 5 years to 7 years and financial penalty from 10 lakh – 20 lakh rupees.
About Uttar Pradesh (UP):
Capital– Lucknow.
Governor– Anandiben Patel.
National Parks(NP)- Dudhwa NP.
Wild Life Sanctuaries(WLS)- Bakhiara WLS, Hastinapur WLS, Katarniaghat WLS, Kishanpur WLS.
