Groundwater Crisis: NGT Forms Panel to Suggest Urgent Conservation Measures

  • April 28, 2026, 5:36 p.m.

New Delhi: In a significant step to address the worsening water crisis in the capital and surrounding regions, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a high-level expert committee to tackle groundwater depletion and recommend urgent corrective measures. The move comes amid growing concern over rapidly falling groundwater levels, illegal extraction, and weak enforcement of environmental norms across several states, including Delhi.

According to the tribunal’s order, the newly formed panel will act as a nodal body to examine the causes of groundwater depletion and suggest both short-term and long-term solutions for sustainable water management. The committee will also assess whether states and Union Territories have adequately implemented existing groundwater regulations.

The expert panel will include representatives from key scientific and regulatory institutions such as the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), IIT Roorkee, and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). Officials said this multi-disciplinary composition is intended to ensure scientific accuracy, policy relevance, and on-ground applicability of recommendations.

The case was taken up suo motu by the NGT after reports flagged that parts of the Indo-Gangetic basin and north-west India are heading towards critical groundwater stress levels, with projections warning of severe shortages in the near future. The tribunal noted that several regions, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are already experiencing over-extraction of groundwater beyond sustainable limits.

Data presented before the tribunal highlighted serious systemic issues, including widespread illegal borewells, inadequate monitoring, and failure to impose environmental compensation on violators. In many cases, despite regulatory frameworks being in place, enforcement on the ground has remained inconsistent or ineffective.

The NGT observed that there has been a clear lapse by authorities in preventing unregulated groundwater extraction and ensuring recharge mechanisms are properly implemented. It also stressed that existing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2020 have not been fully complied with by several states, leading to continued depletion of aquifers.

The committee has been directed to review state-wise data, identify enforcement gaps, and propose actionable strategies for groundwater recharge and conservation. It will also be required to submit its detailed report within three months, after which the tribunal will review its findings and decide further action.

Environmental experts believe that the formation of this panel signals a stronger judicial push towards addressing India’s growing water security challenges, particularly in urban and semi-urban regions where demand is rapidly increasing due to population growth, industrial activity, and climate stress.

In Delhi, groundwater plays a crucial role in supplementing the city’s drinking water supply, especially during peak summer months when demand often exceeds availability. Experts have repeatedly warned that unchecked extraction could lead to long-term ecological and infrastructural damage, making urgent intervention necessary.

With this latest move, the NGT has reinforced the need for a coordinated, science-driven approach to groundwater management, involving both central and state authorities. The tribunal is expected to closely monitor the committee’s progress, as the issue of groundwater depletion continues to emerge as one of India’s most pressing environmental concerns.

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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