DPCC issues closure notice for illegal groundwater usage

A closure notice has been issued to Bisleri International Private Ltd, Delhi, India, which has been found to be extracting groundwater without permission as part of its packaged drinking water manufacturing process. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has closed the plant after it was discovered that permission for groundwater extraction had not been sought from the Delhi Jal Board.

According to the DPCC, the company has been using three borewells to draw around 3.31 lakh litres of groundwater each day. It was also found that Bisleri International has not been measuring reject water at its reverse osmosis plant. 

DPCC officials have said that the action being taken against the bottled water company's unauthorised use of groundwater is the beginning of operations to identify and regulate companies and industries that use large amounts of groundwater. Only 806 permissions for boreholes have been granted by the revenue department, suggesting that other companies could also be illegally drawing on groundwater.

The amount of water being drawn from the ground by the company every day is enough to provide water to around 2,500 people, according to the Hindustan Times. This is a huge amount, especially as Delhi is in the middle of a perennial water crisis. Currently around 1,050 million gallons of water everyday is needed to satisfy Delhi's demand, however; the supply is currently only 850 million gallons a day.

Bisleri International Private Ltd applied to the DPCC to be allowed to operate the plant, but the department rejected the application as the company had failed to receive permission to use groundwater. The DPCC has said that it will ensure the plant is closed immediately and has asked the Delhi Jal Board to cut off water supply and the local discom to stop the power supply.

Sandeep Mishra, member secretary at the DPCC, told the Hindustan Times: “For units like the one we’re closing, water is a raw material. There is a mafia that supplies water to construction sites, hotels and restaurants. They must face action. “