Bizmen: Reduce groundwater extraction charges

Ludhiana: City businessmen held an online meeting with the senior officials of the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRDA) over ground water extraction norms. During the meeting, several important topics like new guidelines of PWRDA and high charges of permissions for ground water extraction were discussed.
Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU), said, “We held a meeting with Karan Avtar Singh, chairperson, PWRDA and discussed industry’s concerns related to ground water extractions norms, especially the high charges. Singh said water extraction charges levied by PWRDA are less compare to Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). He also informed us that his department is working on a pilot project, in which industrial treated water after testing will be sent to agriculture sector for irrigation purpose. During the meeting businessmen were also informed that the published guidelines of water extraction are interim and final rates will be declared after approval from government and registration will be mandatory after the guidelines are notified.”
Ahuja also added, “It has also been learnt that the government will introduce incentives to the industrial units that conserve water. We requested the department to take industry’s suggestions before finalising the new guidelines of ground water as charges are very high it should be reduced by 50% at least. This will encourage more industrialists to register and comply with the norms.”
According to Pankaj Sharma, general secretary of CICU, “During the meeting, we suggested that new policies should framed to encourage the green industry to adopt to water harvesting. Besides this we also informed the department that it should show urgent concern for the fast depleting ground water and the whole burden of preserving ground water should not be put on industry because industry consumes very less water as compared with other activities like agriculture. During the meeting it was also decided that our association will setup up registration help desk at its office where the interested members will be helped to complete all formalities for completing norms for ground water extraction.”