Over 15.9K illegal borewells sealed, 4,000 not found: Delhi govt to NGT

Delhi sealed 15,962 illegal borewells, but 4,000 remain untraced. DJB identified 20,297 borewells; 142 pending sealing, 160 under court stay.

Published on: May 27, 2025, 07:38:16 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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District magistrates in Delhi have sealed 15,962 illegal borewells, but over 4,000 identified by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) couldn’t be traced on the ground, the Delhi government told informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a report dated May 23.

Over 15.9K illegal borewells sealed, 4,000 not found: Delhi govt to NGT

The NGT has been hearing petitions on illegal groundwater extraction and on its directions, DMs in East, North West, and South East Delhi held a drive last week, and reported sealing 12,498 borewells.

In its affidavit, the Delhi government’s said that 20,297 illegal borewells were identified by DJB, of which only 142 are pending to be sealed and in 160 cases, there is a court stay. So far, the government has collected ₹1.19 crore in environmental compensation, it said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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