Ground water to be taxed in Lucknow

Lucknow: To cope with the prevailing water crisis in the state capital, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has decided to impose tax on submersible pumps by registering them from next month for use of underground water.

The LMC spokesman said that a new set of by-laws will also be formulated to direct the use of ground water. As per the plan, people using submersible pumps will also have to abide by set norms. So far, there were no regulations for submersible pumps.

Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma also said that the new water tax would be imposed in the area where there is no water pipeline and people use underground water.

Officials said apart from paying tax for their submersible pumps, people will have to ensure a sustainable system for ground water recharge. Those who are planning to set up new submersibles will have to get an approval from the authorities. The permission will depend on the status of ground water in the area and prospects of recharging it.

To keep a check on the amount of water extracted from the ground, the power of motor pumps and the depth of boring will also be regulated. The authorities will approve the depth of the boring and power of the machinery based on the size of the family and their water requirements.

According to an estimate of state ground water, as many as 15,000 deep borings and submersibles are extracting an unaccounted amount of water every day to feed residential as well as commercial establishments in Lucknow alone.