Maharashtra government to tax excess water users

In view of the depleting groundwater table, Maharashtra government has decided to impose taxes on those pumping excessive ground water for agriculture and industrial use. A notification issued by the State Water Supply and Sanitation Department states that henceforth to dig a well or drill a borewell, farmers will have to obtain permission from the local government authority. Farmers will have to register their existing well/tubewells with the concerned authority. Registrations of well is mandatory. This registration certificate will be valid for 20 years. "If water has been pumped out in denotified areas or from the unregistered well, the government will impose taxes on this illegal activity. If a farmer has more than one well, then he/she has to registered all the wells with the authority," the notification states.

Dhananjay Munde, leader of Opposition, Upper House said that the BJP-led government was making this difficult for farmers. "It is nothing but the scuttling of farmers' freedom and undermining the wisdom of farmers," Munde said.

The notification states that if farmers are pumping the water from denotified areas, then the revenue department will levy taxes. "The taxes will be revised each year. Water guzzler crops like sugarcane, cotton, and banana will be restricted in the drought prone areas," the notification states.

It further says the local agriculture and soil and water management departments, weather department should jointly study the crops and rain patterns of the all regions and prepare the crops pattern chart. 

"This crop pattern chart will be discussed at the local Gram panchayat and amended and approved subsequently. It will be mandatory for farmers to follow this approved crops pattern. If the farmers violates these prescribed crops pattern charts, they will be penalised. Besides, before planting the water guzzling crops, the farmers will have to seek the permission from the authority. He has to also assure that the authority that the micro water management technology such as drip and sprinkles will be used for these cash crops," it states.

The notification further states that during drought and water scarcity situations, the government will have full rights over these wells. Also, farmers whose wells has been acquired for the government for drinking water purpose, the damaged crops amount will be compensated as per the prevailing minimum support prices.

EVERY DROP COUNTS

• Farmers will have to take state’s advice on crop patterns 
   
• Registration of wells and borewells will be mandatory 
   
• Well registration certificate will be valid for 20 years. 
   
• Water guzzlers like sugarcane, cotton, banana will be restricted in drought prone areas.
   
• It will be mandatory for farmers to follow this approved crops pattern. If they violate these, they will be penalised.