Only 0.01 bcm water is available for future use in Delhi, whileit is negative in Gurgaon and in almost all districts of Haryana Groundwater resources in Delhi and neighbouring areas like Gurgaon, much of Haryana, and in Ghaziabad have now become “over-exploited” because of continuous unregulated extraction for domestic, industrial and irrigation purposes. The net groundwater availability for future use in Gurgaon and in almost all districts of Haryana runs into negative while in Uttar Pradesh the scene is not comforting. However, in Delhi, the dependency on groundwater has lessened due to increased surface water supply by the Delhi Jal Board and regulations on drilling of new bore wells. A study titled ‘Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India’ by Central Ground Water Board and the State Ground Water Departments, has stated that in the 27 districts of Delhi surveyed, 0.31 billion cubic metre (bcm) of total annual replenishable groundwater is available. Annual groundwater draft i.e. the water being extracted, includes 0.14 bcm for irrigation and 0.25 bcm for industrial and domestic supply. Only 0.01 bcm water is available for future use in Delhi. The stage of groundwater development, which is a calculation of water extracted and water replenished, stands at 137 per cent for Delhi which brings it in the category of “over-exploited”. The statistics turn grimmer in Haryana. In Gurgaon, 26,720 hectares metre (ham) is the total annual replenishable groundwater resource available while the water extracted is 54,418 ham. This brings the net groundwater available for future irrigation use to minus 30,370 ham. The stage of groundwater development is 226 per cent which is extremely over-exploited since not much of water goes back to recharge the water table. Faridabad fares better in terms of groundwater and falls under ‘semi-critical’ category. Haryana as a State has minus 3,31,647 ham. In Uttar Pradesh that falls under semi-critical category, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar are also marked as ‘over-exploited’ zones. Environment activist Vikrant Tongad, who has been pursuing various petitions concerning groundwater exploitation before the National Green Tribunal, said in various areas in and around Delhi, builders have been extracting water for construction purposes despite strict view of the Tribunal. “In areas like Noida and Greater Noida, builders have been extracting groundwater without any plan for recharging the same,” said Mr. Tongad. The Noida and the Greater Noida authority in an affidavit filed before the NGT in connection with a petition being pursued by Mr. Tongad had submitted that their officials visited certain sites in their jurisdiction and found that builders have been using water collected due to rain and seepage of groundwater. To this, Mr. Tongad said there has been no rain in the region from which so much water could have been collected and used by builders. The NGT has asked the State authorities and builders concerned to file affidavits.