Noida’s water table sinks, board cracks down on illegal extraction

Activists claim nearly 1,000 such plants operate in the area

With the groundwater level in Noida and Greater Noida depleting by over one metre a year as per the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the authorities have started a crackdown on illegal extraction here.

There are anywhere between 500 and 1,000 unauthorised borewells and bottling plants that cater to large areas in Noida, which lack access to potable water.

Activist Vikrant Tongad, who has moved the NGTover extraction by construction companies, industries and plants, says there are about 200 big bottling plants with a production of more than 50,000 litres a day. “If we take the big and small plants, there are about 500 in Noida and Greater Noida. The authorities have taken action against small plants which operate out of houses, but the bigger ones are still functioning,” said Mr. Tongad.

In June, so far, 24 illegal bottling plants have been sealed by the district administration. “We will continue sealing drives,” said District Magistrate N.P. Singh. He said that an FIR had been filed in one case where the water sample failed food safety tests.

Gita, a domestic worker, lives in Aggahpur village and buys a bottle of 20 litres for Rs. 10 because there is “no other option”. “We have been buying the bottles for years now. There were hand pumps in the village, but they have been lying broken for ages,” she said.

Shem Topno, who does odd jobs, says the tap water in Noida used to be drinkable. “But, then it got dirtier, so we were forced to buy water from a shop in the village,” he said.

But, both the district administration and the Noida Authority, which supplies water, say the water is clean enough to drink.

“The water supplied by us is fit for drinking, but people like mineral water,” said Samakant Srivastava, Noida Authority project engineer (outer). Till the infrastructure is upgraded, Noida residents will be forced to either invest in purification systems or shell out money for the illegally-extracted water. “It’s not just about the depleting groundwater resources, these plants lead to health concerns as well,” said Mr. Tongad.

Anywhere between 500 and 1,000 unauthorised borewells and bottling plants cater to large areas of Noida that lack access to potable water