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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4070
ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026
GROUNDWATER POLLUTION BY INDUSTRIES AND ACTION TAKEN
4070 SHRI SANT BALBIR SINGH:
Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state:
(a) mechanisms that exist to monitor industries and factories that may contaminate groundwater through
boreholes, effluent discharge or other means, details of the regulatory framework and monitoring
agencies involved;
(b) the legal or administrative action taken against industries found guilty of polluting groundwater,
including penalties, closure notices, environmental compensation or criminal proceedings; and
(c) details of the specific data for the State of Punjab and other States on inspections conducted,
violations detected and actions taken against such industries during the last five years?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) Monitoring and prevention of contamination of water including groundwater by industrial effluents
primarily falls under the purview of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution
Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). However, Central Ground Water
Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, regulates ground water withdrawal by industrial,
infrastructure and mining projects by issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) to such projects as per its
Guidelines dated 24.09.2020 read with amendments thereto. These guidelines, inter alia, have provisions
for prevention of pollution/contamination of groundwater such as following:
Injection of treated/untreated waste water into aquifer system is strictly prohibited.
Industries which are likely to pollute groundwater (chemical, pharmaceutical, dyes,
pigments, paints, textiles, tannery, pesticides/insecticides, fertilizers, slaughter house,
explosives etc.) shall store the harvested rain water in surface storage tanks for use in the
industry and not for recharging it.
Industries which are likely to cause ground water pollution e.g. tanning, slaughter houses,
dye, chemical/petrochemical, coal washeries, other hazardous units etc.(as per CPCB list)
need to undertake necessary well head protection measures to ensure prevention of
groundwater pollution.
1 The NOC issued by CGWA includes a condition that the project proponent shall take all
necessary measures to prevent contamination of groundwater within the premises, failing
which the firm shall be responsible for any consequences arising therefrom.
The guidelines also provide for a penalty of Rs. 10,00,000/- for injection of treated/untreated
water into the aquifer system.
AS informed by CPCB , the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC),
Government of India, being the main authority for overall monitoring and control of environmental
pollution, notifies emission and discharge standards for environmental pollutants under the Environment
Protection Act, 1986 and amendments thereto .
Under MoEF&CC, the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control
Committees (PCCs) are the concerned authorities to prescribe and ensure the compliance of
environmental standards. In case of non-compliance, action as deemed fit is taken as per the provisions
of the environmental laws, by SPCBs/PCCs.
Further, CPCB has defined Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) as industries having potential to
discharge 100 kg/day BOD load and/or toxic effluents.
To strengthen enforcement and ensure compliance with environmental standards, CPCB has
issued directions U/S 18(1)(b) of the Water and the Air Act to all SPCBs/PCCs to inspect Red, Orange,
and Green categories of industries at a minimum inspection frequency of 6 months, 1 year and 2 years,
for verification of compliance of environmental norms. In addition, common waste
management/treatment facilities such as STPs, CETPs, CBMWTFs etc., and 17 categories of high
pollution potential industries are to be inspected on quarterly basis by SPCBs/PCCs.
Further, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has mandated installation of Online
Continuous Effluent/Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) in all 17 categories of industries and
common waste management/treatment facilities to strengthen environmental surveillance and ensure
continuous compliance of environmental norms.
CPCB also carries out surprise inspection-cum-monitoring of 17 categories industries and
common waste treatment facilities which are selected randomly based on SMS alerts, generated through
Online Continuous Effluent/Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), installed in these industries.
(b) As informed by CPCB the concerned SPCBs/PCCs in their jurisdiction identify Grossly Polluting
Industries (GPIs). As per the information received from SPCBs/PCCs, there are total 4,498 GPIs in the
country. Out of which, 3,637 industries are operational. Among these operational industries, 601
industries were found non-complying with environmental standards, against which actions by
SPCBs/PCCs (Closure Directions: 29; Show Cause Notices: 571; Directives:1) were taken as per the
provisions of the environmental laws.
(c) As informed by CPCB as per the information received from Punjab SPCB, there are 2 GPIs in the
state of Punjab and both the units are complying with environmental standards.
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