Industries, infrastructure projects and mines that draw groundwater through borewells or tubewells need a No Objection Certificate from the Central Ground Water Authority or the State Ground Water Authority. We assess the status of your assessment unit, prepare the application on the NOCAP portal with the hydrogeological report, metering and recharge plan, and manage compliance conditions and renewals.
Legal basis: Guidelines to regulate and control ground water extraction in India, 2020, issued by CGWA under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; State groundwater acts and rules where notified
Who needs it
- Manufacturing units, hotels, hospitals and commercial complexes drawing groundwater for process, cooling or domestic use
- Infrastructure and real-estate projects using groundwater during construction (dewatering or construction water)
- Mining projects pumping or dewatering groundwater
- Packaged drinking water and beverage plants, breweries and distilleries
- MSMEs drawing more than 10 m³ per day (smaller MSMEs are exempt under the 2020 guidelines)
- Existing users seeking renewal, enhancement of quantity or regularisation of a lapsed NOC
Common in:Manufacturing & Industrial UnitsPharma & ChemicalsHospitals & HealthcareReal Estate & Infrastructure
Documents required
- 1Application on the NOCAP portal with PAN-linked authorised signatory details
- 2Hydrogeological report with location, depth and yield of each borewell / tubewell
- 3Water requirement break-up (process, domestic, cooling, gardening) and water balance diagram
- 4Consent to Establish / Operate from the SPCB, or acknowledgement of application
- 5Land ownership documents and site plan showing abstraction structures
- 6Details of water meters (digital flow meters with telemetry where required) and piezometers
- 7Rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge plan with design calculations
- 8Proof of payment of groundwater abstraction charges and application fee
- 9Water audit report and recycling / reuse plan (for larger users)
- 10Udyam registration certificate (for MSMEs)
Missing something? We help you obtain or regularise supporting documents before filing.
How we get it done
- 1
Assessment unit check
Week 1We determine whether your block or taluka is categorised Safe, Semi-critical, Critical or Over-exploited in the latest CGWB assessment, which decides permissibility, abstraction charges and conditions.
- 2
Hydrogeological study and water plan
Week 1–3A hydrogeologist documents the abstraction structures and aquifer, and we prepare the water balance, recharge design and metering specification.
- 3
NOCAP application
Week 3–5The application and supporting documents are filed on the NOCAP portal and fees and abstraction charges are paid. We respond to clarifications raised by the CGWA regional office.
- 4
Scrutiny and grant
Week 5–12After scrutiny (and site verification where required), the NOC is issued with conditions on metering, water-level monitoring, recharge and annual reporting. We set up the compliance calendar.
If you don’t comply
Drawing groundwater without a valid NOC is a violation of the CGWA directions under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, attracting environmental compensation (which the 2020 guidelines prescribe per cubic metre of unauthorised extraction) and prosecution under Section 15. SPCBs typically refuse or withhold Consent to Operate without a groundwater NOC, and the NGT has directed sealing of borewells of non-compliant units.
Why MYDA Group
Specialists, not generalists
Environmental compliance is our only practice, so your file is handled by people who do this every day.
Fixed fee, written scope
You know the professional fee and the statutory fees before we start. No surprise add-ons.
Inspection and audit-ready
We prepare your site and team for the board visit or certification audit and attend it with you.
Lifetime reminders
Every condition, return and renewal goes into your compliance calendar with alerts.
Frequently asked questions
Who is exempt from a groundwater NOC under the 2020 guidelines?
Individual domestic users, rural drinking water schemes, agricultural users, armed forces and defence establishments, and MSMEs drawing less than 10 m³ per day are exempt from the NOC requirement, though some must still register. Commercial, industrial, infrastructure and mining users need an NOC regardless of location.
Can I get an NOC in an over-exploited area?
The 2020 guidelines generally do not permit new or expanded groundwater abstraction by industries in over-exploited assessment units, with limited exceptions such as certain drinking water, MSME and strategic uses. Existing units in such areas can seek renewal with stricter conditions, higher abstraction charges and mandatory recharge and water-audit obligations. We examine alternatives such as treated-water supply or surface water where groundwater is restricted.
What are groundwater abstraction charges?
The guidelines prescribe abstraction charges per cubic metre that rise with the quantity drawn and the stress category of the assessment unit, payable to the CGWA along with the application and periodically during the NOC period. Packaged drinking water and similar users pay higher rates, while recharge measures and recycling can reduce the chargeable quantity.
Does my state have its own groundwater authority?
Several states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Kerala and Delhi, regulate groundwater through their own acts and authorities, and CGWA has deferred NOC issuance to those bodies for most users. We route the application to the correct authority and apply the applicable state conditions.