Groundwater extraction by amusement park:NGT notice to Haryana

A plea alleging indiscriminate extraction of groundwater by an amusement park in Gurugram has prompted the National Green Tribunal to seek response of the Haryana government and others in the matter.

A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Haryana government, Central Ground Water Authority, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and International Recreation And Amusement Limited (IRAL).

"Issue notice regarding admission," the bench said while seeking their replies before 31 July.

International Recreation And Amusement Limited runs 'Appu Ghar' which is spread over an area of 42 acres and it has an exclusive water park named as Oysters Beach spread over an area of 10 acres in sector 29 of Gurugram in Haryana.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by RTI activist Harinder Dhingra seeking direction to restrain 'Appu Ghar' from using groundwater without necessary permission and constitute an expert committee to investigate the illegal extraction of groundwater resulting in depletion of the city's water table.

The plea, filed through advocate Ayush Arora, has alleged that the amusement park is withdrawing groundwater despite Central Ground Water Authority notifying Gurugram district as "over exploited" area, where ground water extraction is more than the average annual replenishment.

Referring to an RTI query, the plea said that HUDA had in June 2016 said the amusement park had been sanctioned two water connections, one of size 50mm and the other one of 25mm, while its requirement was much more.

"The applicant seeks interim relief for constitution of committee of expert members to investigate the issue of illegal extraction of groundwater by IRAL, pending disposal of this application by this tribunal so as to leave no time for it to cover up its illegal act of indulging in extraction of groundwater without necessary permissions," the plea said.

-PTI