In an urgent response to the critical challenge of groundwater depletion, the Haryana government issued new directives on July 8, 2025, for the stricter and more coordinated enforcement of its water conservation policy in blocks officially designated as ‘dark zones’ (Over-Exploited areas). The move aims to halt the rapid fall of the water table in these water-stressed regions.
๐ซ Stricter Action Against Illegal Extraction
The primary focus of the new directives, driven by the Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA), is to curb the widespread illegal and unregulated extraction of groundwater, particularly in urban and industrial belts like Gurugram, which has historically been classified as a severe ‘dark zone’.
Key enforcement measures now being aggressively pursued include:
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Closure Orders and Sealing: Expedited action to issue closure orders and immediately seal illegal borewells found operating without the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the HWRA.
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Targeting Violators: Enhanced monitoring and action against illegal extraction by various entities, including builders, industrial units, educational institutions, and residential societies, who have historically been found to be significant violators.
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Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting (RWH): Stricter biannual inspections of all residential and industrial projects to ensure the proper installation and maintenance of RWH systems. Officials have been warned to revoke Occupation Certificates (OCs) for projects found non-compliant with water conservation and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) norms.
๐ The ‘Dark Zone’ Reality
The urgency of the action is underscored by recent data showing that many districts, including Gurugram, extract groundwater at a rate significantly more than double the amount that is naturally recharged, classifying them as Over-Exploited (>100% extraction) blocks. These new directives align with the stateโs ambitious Integrated Water Resources Action Plan (IWRAP) 2025-27, which aims to reduce the state’s projected water deficit by half by 2027.
The government has stressed that only strict enforcement and inter-agency coordination between the HWRA, GMDA, and local administration will successfully reverse the groundwater crisis in Haryanaโs dark zones.