Stories
Neighbor's Borewell Dried Your Well? Whose Fault? The Law is on Your Side!
- •If your well dries up due to a neighbor's borewell, groundwater is not private property but a shared natural resource under the Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Act, 2009.
- •Digging new deep or commercial borewells within 250 to 500 meters of a public drinking water source or existing well is strictly prohibited.
- •Unauthorized borewell digging or commercial extraction can lead to fines of 2 to 5 lakh rupees and imprisonment for 6 months to 1 year.
- •Gather evidence like photos and a panchnama, then file a written complaint with the local Tehsildar, BDO, or Municipal Commissioner.
- •You can seek redress from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) or court; the administration has the authority to declare illegal borewells unlawful and seal them.
Key Questions Answered
According to the Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Act, 2009, underground groundwater is not private property but a natural, shared resource. Therefore, a neighbor arbitrarily extracting water and drying up your well is considered a legal offense rather than just a private matter on their own land.
Digging new deep or commercial borewells within roughly 250 to 500 meters of an existing public drinking water source or well is strictly prohibited. Additionally, during drought-like conditions, there is a direct legal ban on digging borewells deeper than 200 feet.
Unpermitted borewells that obstruct water sources or conduct commercial extraction can result in fines from 2 to 5 lakh rupees, imprisonment for 6 months to 1 year, and an FIR for water theft. The administration also has the authority to declare such borewells illegal and seal them immediately.
