NGT seeks report on management plan as Lucknow faces alarming groundwater decline

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed authorities to submit a status report on the implementation of a block-wise groundwater management plan for Lucknow, where the water table has reportedly fallen by up to 160 feet over the past decade.

The direction comes during a suo motu hearing initiated after a news report highlighted that groundwater in areas such as Azad Nagar and Geetapalli, previously available at a depth of 80 feet, is now found at 240 feet.

A bench led by chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with justice A. Senthil Vel, heard submissions from the Lucknow District Magistrate and Municipal Commissioner, who requested four weeks to provide details of water bodies under the Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction, including the extent of encroachments and their current condition.

The NGT granted the request and adjourned the matter to 17 December for further hearing.

The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) informed the tribunal that a National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) study had been conducted in Lucknow district in 2021.

Based on the study, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) had prepared block-wise management plans recommending measures such as artificial recharge, water conservation, and improved water-use efficiency to arrest the declining groundwater levels.

The NGT had first taken note of the issue in May last year following a report stating that the rainwater harvesting schemes of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) existed largely on paper and had “failed miserably,” with most residential complexes lacking proper storage facilities.

Observing that the report raised significant concerns under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the tribunal had issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Lucknow Nagar Nigam, LDA, and the District Magistrate to ensure corrective action.

The NGT’s latest order underscores the urgency of implementing structured groundwater management measures in Lucknow to address the severe depletion threatening the city’s water security.

With IANS inputs