PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING GROUNDWATER PERMIT FOR INDUSTRIES IN WEST BENGAL

West Bengal has a very good groundwater potential. The reason of such affluence is due to her geographical location, high rainfall, and geological setting. But in recent times groundwater development in some districts in this state has been increased to such an extent that in some areas conditions of near overexploitation has developed. The condition, though not severe yet, has inspired hydro-geologists to think for conservation and sustainable development of groundwater. It has become necessary to assess the state of art and to find ways to augment the resource. Groundwater is not an isolated resource. It is a phenomenon within the hydrological cycle. So depending on the hydro-geological condition, water level condition, and stage of development proper measure for control of groundwater exploitation should be undertaken.

Now groundwater in West Bengal has now become a precious commodity. New industries are coming up in west Bengal, who will also be more dependants on groundwater. So the Act is a very timely intervention of the Government in proper management and conservation of the precious natural resource. It has become a great task of the implementing agency to carry on with it. 

Initially the groundwater Act 2005 was extensive and covered all types of structures that exploit groundwater through mechanical pumping devices. But recent changes have spared the farmers from obtaining permit. So the Act is now being implemented upon industries that are willing to use groundwater for their production or other uses in the industrial areas.

Some significant changes are made to the procedures for obtaining permit, though the main protocols, like submission of application, depositing permit/ application fees, and the authority who will receive the permit have not been changed.

There are two authorities:

1) the District Level Authority or the DLA, where the District Majistrate of the respective district is the chairman and the Geologist in charge of the district level offices of State Water Investigation Directorate (SWID) is the member secretary and the key technical person. The DLA has 10 to 12 maembers from the line departments and the Zilla Parishad who will initially examine the application.

2) The State level authority (SLA) gives the final vetting of the application. The Superintending Geologist of SWID is the member secretary and the Director SWID is the chairman of the SLA. There are other members of the Expert Committee from departments like, PHED, CGWB, Agriculture, Irrigation, Minor Irrigation etc.

The basic procedures for obtaining the permit are:

1.       Apply in plain paper to the DLA and collect requisite number of application forms from the DLA. The format of the form is available at  http://www.howrah.gov.in/Templates/swid/FORM%20I%20-%208%20TO%2010.pdf

2.       Fill up the form (it is a bit complicated) collect all required documents and information and get treasury challan form (TR 7). You can download the form here http://birbhum.gov.in/try2/9TR_Form_No_7.pdf

3.       Fill up the treasury challan and visit the geologist of your district (where the industry will come up). 4 copies of TR form will be required for each application.

4.       The Geologist (the member secretary of the SLA) will sign on your TR form.

5.       You will then have to deposit the application fee (Rs. 500) to the State Bank of India branch of the district. The Bank will return 2 copies of the TR form.

6.       You now come back to the DLA office and submit the Application form along with the TR form and the relevant documents.

7.       The member secretary will examine the form, your water requirement, visit the location of the propose tubewell, prepare a note on the hydrogeological condition of the site, the merit of the application and place it to the DLA meeting.

8.       DLA if satisfied forward the application to the SLA with their recommendation.

9.       Your Case will be discussed in the SLA meeitng and a high power committee will examine your case. If they are satisfied they will vet the case and instruct the DLA to issue the permit.

10.    The DLA will issue a letter of information to the applicant. The applicant will again submit Rs. 1000 as permit fee to the bank. Come back to the geologist and receive the permit.

 The documents required: (not limited to)

1.       The application form duly filled in.

2.       DPR of your Industrial Project + proof of ownership of land

3.       The mouza map of the area showing the location of the proposed tube well.

4.       Your detailed break up of water use.

5.       You detailed plan about how you are going the get the required water, the quantity and source

6.       Your water conservation plan

7.       Your rainwater harvesting plan

8.       Details of water harvesting structures ( no groundwater recharge in industrial area is allowed by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board)

9.       Location of the RWH ponds will have to be shown in the mouza map and also in the proposed layout plan.

10.    A declaration in plain paper that you will maintain the RWH ponds as long as the plant will be there.

11.    You will have to keep the existing ponds in your plant, but if you wish to fill it you will have to take necessary arrangements fos alternative pond excavation and conversion of the pond land.

12.    Your CSR activities related to groundwater conservation and augmentation.

13.    A hydro-geological feasibility report of your proposed plant area (buffer zone) to support your demand.
14.    Impact analysis of the whole operation of groundwater extraction.

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT MY PROFESSIONAL PAGE

BOTTLED RAINWATER: A GREENER ALTERNATIVE

Recently rainwater has come in competition with purified bottled water. An article published in the water efficiency journal states that there will be an international water testing competition in the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia where bottled rainwater from Richard's Rainwater, Oregon Rain, Texas Rain and Tasmanian Rain will enter along with about one hundred bottled waters from around the globe. Already available at health food stores and premier grocers, bottled rainwater is becoming recognized and accepted by consumers as a new "greener" alternative to traditional bottled waters. Bottled rain will soon be found in retail outlets nationwide. This year six of the entries will be bottled rainwater sponsored by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA - www.arcsa.org).

Rainwater, in India had been traditionally accepted as an alternative source of pure water, even suitable for drinking. Recently in a seminar of rainwater harvesting held in Kolkata members of Jadavpur Centre for Study of Earth Science presented a paper on the rainwater quality of different parts of the West Bengal. It is revealed that rainwater is purest in the Darjeeling, Japaiguri, Coochbehar and Purulia district in terms of tested parameters like pH and TDS. The rainwater samples had been collected by school students of the district and had been tested in their school laboratories.

The news of the West Virginia contest may inspire small scale local entrepreneurs in West Bengal to come forward in rainwater bottling business which may be more environment-friendly and cheaper alternative to bottled purified water manufactured from groundwater resource. Area specific technology may be developed for harnessing rainwater economically.

RAINWATER HARVESTING IN KOLKATA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION AREA

INTRODUCTION: Kolkata is now a great megalopolis with about ten million populations. This city is not only growing in size but also growing in population day by day. This growth of population has cast a great impact on the land on one hand and on the other hand the demand for drinking water has grown by many folds.

The history of Kolkata water supply starts from the initiation of the British settlement in 1717 and runs up to 1870 when Calcutta Municipality was establish. During the various phases of formation of Calcutta municipality, topmost priority was given to water supply problems. The water supply of the newly constituted municipality commenced in the year 1870 with a 6 mgd plant at Palta. To cope with the increasing demand of portable water, the capacity of the water treatment plant was augmented in stages. In addition, there is 60 mgd of unfiltered water supply and ground water supply of 22 mgd by 260 deep tube wells.

At the increase in demand of water more and more hand tube wells were installed during the last two decades. Apart from private initiative the corporation has also installed a number of deep tube wells fitted with hand pumps.

The actual number of private deep tube wells is yet to be known. But withdrawal of ground water has increased to a great extent during the last two decades. This unaccounted has developed two major groundwater problems: -

a) Depletion of water level to the tune of 10-12mbgl at places.
b) Deterioration of water quality.

Geologically and geomorphologically Kolkata belongs to the lower deltaic plain of the Ganga-Padma river system.. The surface material is clay and clay loam. This clay extends up to a depth of 10 to 25 m bgl in most of the area. Below this clay bed a fine sand bed is found which extends up to a depth of 30-to 35-metre bgl. Below this level another clay, dark brown to grayish brown in colour occur up to a depth of 60 to 100-metre bgl. From this depth another sand zone occur which comprises of fine, medium and coarse sand and extends up to a depth of 120 to 180 metre bgl. Below this sand zone gravel bed occurs. Tertiary black and sticky clay occurs at the bottom of the sand and gravel zone.

Due to unique geological setting rainfall in Kolkata does not percolate downwards to recharge the groundwater regime. Rainwater is totally wasted and poses a serious problem like water logging and sewage overload.

The demand of water for domestic purpose in Kolkata is increasing day by day. The municipal water supply to some extent and private domestic water supply in some areas also depend on ground water. Since Kolkata is not within the groundwater recharge zone and the withdrawal of groundwater is very high in comparison with the groundwater recharge from remote area groundwater level has already depleted to a great extent. Recent studies have revealed that groundwater level of Kolkata has already gone down to 10 to 13 metre below sea level. .

To combat all the problems related to the water supply and demand, and also for the problems developed due to over withdrawal of groundwater scientists are advising to utilize rainwater in urban areas.

BENEFIT: Rainfall in Kolkata occurs during the monsoon. Maximum rainfall occurs from June to October. The average annual rainy days are 60. Average daily rainfall is about 30 mm considering only the rainy days. The monthly average rainfall is given below.

The volume of total annual rainfall in Kolkata over a 184 sq km area is 1.402X 184= 258 million cubic metres. This amount of water is required for 10 million people for 151 days. In the same way rainwater available on a 100 sq metre roof is 1.402 X 100 cubic metre annually= 140200 litres. This is enough for a family of five for 140 days.

PRACTICAL VIEW

It will never be possible to harness all available rainwater through any type of harvesting system. Moreover the water requirement of Kolkata is much higher than the amount of rainfall falling directly overhead. So Kolkata will remain dependant on the transported water from upstream regions. But rainwater harvesting in Kolkata has three visible benefits.

1) If a large amount of rainwater is used for groundwater recharge it will supplement the natural recharge to some extent.
2) If about 10% of rainwater is harvested properly through some well managed system in specific locations it will significantly reduce water logging during storm seasons.
3) If rainwater is harvested by individuals or by community housing societies the consumption of piped water will be reduced to a great extent. The Loreto Day School in Sealdah is utilizing rainwater for its toilets and significantly reduced municipal water consumption.