Water shortage is started in a residential area. There is a commercial building which has borewell running throughout the day. Tankers come on regular intervals and it is suspected that ground water is being depleted. But mere suspicion will not hold water before the National Green Tribunal. If there is any water depletion in the environment due to usage of bore well you need some proof to take the matter before NGT. Ground water depletions records, permissions granted, inspections done, pictures, depth of water level etc are few things that can help you prove your case before the National Green Tribunal. How do you get this proof? Most of the bore wells are made inside houses, industries or at construction site. You may not have access to those places and they might even claim to have permission to do so. Water levels go down for various reasons. Lack of rains, over usage in that region and other activities may lead to it. But if you want to show that these activities are harming our environment then you will require proof. National Green Tribunal deals with environment cases that come under its purview. It can ask for inspection or notice if there is any rule violated. And can provide solution to such problems. BK Singh is an advocate with NGT Lawyers. If you want to know more about how you can deal with ground water depletion case or bore well issues please feel free to contact us. If you live in a place where water levels are decreasing due to these factors. Then it is better that you find out what is the cause. What kind of permissions do they need to do this activity. And gather all the evidence that you can. This post will tell you how you can prove that there is depletion of water. What all proofs can you collect if someone is doing this without permission. And what laws can be applied. Ground water has been used for residential purpose, farm, industry, commercial purpose and real estate development. When used in large quantities can create a problem for potable water and sub-surface water. Often there is a issue with building of structure, commercial space or housing society in Delhi NCR. This could be in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad etc. Cities like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai etc have similar problems. In April 2026 NGT brought attention towards poor monitoring of ground water resources. Issues regarding illegal abstraction of ground water and compensation to environment were discussed. At NGT Lawyers we think its important to understand when someone has violated the law of having borewell vs overall ground water depleting scenario. What constitutes as environmental damage should depend on your situation. Important points to note Illegal Ground Water Extraction is when you take out underground water that you don't have the permissions for. This could be by having a bore well that doesn't have an NOC. Taking out more quantity than what you are permitted to. Or ignoring the conditions which were set on your ground water permit. If your business has no metering devices or any records then we can help you with your queries as well. However not every bore well is illegal. There are some who can fall under this exemption. We at Advocate BK Singh and NGT Lawyers can assess if its a case of Illegal Permission. Over Extraction or even Pollution of Groundwater. You may have an Illegal Bore Well but not enough evidence to show how much water was taken out of the ground. For groundwater related disputes in India you may have to consider Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and any applicable Ground water Rules and National Green Tribunal Act 2010. Environment (Protection) Act 1986 Central Ground Water Authority has been created under Environment (Protection) Act 1986 read with Section 3(3). As per rules made for Ground Water extraction as on Sept 2020 which were further amended in March 2023 different class of users are covered and certain exemptions have been given. Which were further amended by law. Ministry of Jal Shakti made it clear in March 2026 that regulation of Ground Water is done by CGWA and concerned State Authority as per their jurisdiction. NGT Lawyers can help you in looking into your permissions and what all conditions were imposed. Before taking up such allegation Advocate BK Singh can be contacted. Section 14 empowers the National Green Tribunal to entertain Civil disputes where there are substantial question relating to environment as per Schedule I to the Act. Section 15 deals with grant of Reliefs Compensation etc. Section 18 talks about application and who can apply. Section 20 directs NGT to keep in mind certain principles while deciding matters like Sustainable Development Precautionary Principle and Polluter Pays principle. It's very important to note the limitation here. Under section 14 limitation is 6 month from cause of action. It may be extendable for good cause by a period of maximum 60 days. Whereas under section 15 it's 5 year which may also be extended for a period of 60 days for sufficient reason. One should not confuse between these two sections. One needs to identify what remedy he is looking for and apply accordingly. It can be proven with reliable technical evidence which shows variations in ground water availability. When a citizen reports that his well has run dry it may serve as a supporting evidence towards the complaint. But most of the times cannot prove the technical aspects of the case. Monitoring of water level prior to the activity and after may give some indication about the change in water levels. Information regarding the ground water level in a particular area may be maintained by Central Ground Water Board/State ground water department. These measurements must also factor in rain fall, seasonality and any other extraction that is taking place in the vicinity. A hydrogeologist may study the ground water aquifer, replenishment of ground water, extractions taking place and sources of water near by. This will give an insight on whether the activity in question can impact ground water. BK Singh can be approached to understand what these factors mean from a legal perspective before NGT. Reports from concerned regulatory authorities may also provide evidence. During inspection details of bore wells, pump set and extraction being done, licenses granted and other lapses can be noted. Visit our firm for more info on groundwater depletion and borewell regulation services. To establish a strong case there should be documentary proof which can link the bore well in question with some activity and violation if any. Some of the documents which can be collected are: It is important that documents are original and have correct dates. Do not tamper with photos to show false facts and enter private property only when it is permissible to do so. If you are unable to find any documents of permission you may ask for an enquiry but do not presume that no permission has been granted. It must contain information about the location in question. The activity taking place and what is being concerned about environment wise. One can file the complaint with the groundwater regulating body. District administration or any other appropriate forum depending on the area. For instance if the issue is in Delhi then the Delhi Jal Board or district administration etc could be the concerned forum as per procedure. More information such as when the activity has taken place. Information you have about it. If any previous representation was made and what you want done. The applicant could ask NGT to verify if the borewell has been authorised. Take action to inspect the groundwater withdrawal. Or take appropriate steps towards protecting the environment. If NGT feels the requirements are met they could order various steps to be taken. Including but not limited to inspections. Taking necessary measures and protecting the environment from harm. BK Singh Advocate and NGT Lawyers can help you figure out if its something to be taken to NGT. Or you could just start with filing a complaint first. Check out our article on filing an illegal groundwater extraction case. When there is no response to your complaint or if bore wells are being operated despite objections or scientific evidences suggest damage then you may require legal advice. In case of Residential welfare association you may need help if there are many buildings/operators. You can approach an advocate if you have been accused of over with drawing ground water or not having NOC. You can consult Advocate BK Singh for knowing about law that applies to your case documents that will help you, remedies and what forum to approach. It will also help you know about any limitation issues and avoid making false claims against an environment cause. They assist in matters related to Ground water Extraction, borewells and NGT matters. This could include perusing through records. Evidence can be assessed and representation drafted. Whether a tribunal is available. If there are companies under the allegation we can assess if permissions have been granted. Amounts extracted and if any non compliances can be cured. If you feel that borewell NOC violation matters to go through the legal issues that may arise. BK Singh of NGT Lawyers advises that documents should be accurate, take proper remedy and look at each case individually rather than assuming what can happen. Yes if your case falls under NGT's purview. Any environmental issue can be filed if there is significant question of environment which comes under environment act. Inspection report, Permission granted records, Ground water usage details and photographs will be good proofs. It all depends upon how genuine the proof is. Not always. You need to check what permission was given at that place and for what purpose. Every activity has different rule set so check the rules according to the activity. If there is jurisdiction with you then NGT can pass such direction as well. Click here to read more about how NGT acted against illegal ground water extraction. You can make complaint to concerned authority. If you fall under NGT's list of applicant you can approach NGT as well. There are borewells that are made to monitor the ground water levels. Or you can get it from government and take measurement from scientific instruments. There are many who can help you out in this regard. No. As per the class of people that are using it. If they are using it for commercial purposes then yes they would need to have one. Under section 15 if it qualifies. Yes they can. As per the act and what has been proven to them. Keep the copy of your complaint with you and follow up. Or you can take it further as per your situation. If someone is using water excessively. Or there are signs of environment damage. Or the concerned authorities aren't taking action. Or there is time limitation involved you should speak to an NGT lawyer. You can speak to Advocate BK Singh. To prove that your ground water level has reduced due to bore well you will need proper evidence before approaching the NGT. By providing evidence such as permissions to dig bore wells, record of ground water levels, reports from inspections and other necessary documents you can identify what kind of crime may have been committed. Each case should be analysed for what damage it may have caused to our environment and who s responsible for it. Then we can decide if we can take this up with the NGT. If you are facing any issues regarding extraction of ground water. You can reach out to us through our website to know more.How to Prove Groundwater Depletion or Illegal Borewell Use Before NGT?
Why Groundwater Depletion Matters in India in 2026
Quick Facts About Illegal Borewell Complaints
What Constitutes Illegal Groundwater Extraction?
What Laws Apply to Groundwater Depletion Cases Before NGT?
National Green Tribunal Act 2010
How Can Groundwater Depletion Be Proved Before NGT?
Ground Water Level
Study By Hydrogeologist
Inspection Report
Which Documents Help Prove Illegal Borewell Use?
How Should an Illegal Borewell Complaint Be Presented?
When Should You Consult an NGT Lawyer?
How Can NGT Lawyers Assist With Groundwater Disputes?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you file a case of ground water depleting in NGT?
2. What will be best proof of using bore well illegally?
3. All private borewells are illegal?
4. Can NGT order sealing of borewell?
5. Can I make complaint against a building extracting ground water?
6. How do I measure the ground water level?
7. Do we always need a NOC to dig a borewell?
8. Can NGT ask for environment compensation?
9. What if the authorities do nothing about my borewell complaint?
10. When should I consult a lawyer for NGT?
Final Thoughts
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