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PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), JANUARY 30, 2024 (MAGHA 10, 1945 SAKA)

EXTRAORDINARY

Published by Authority

CHANDIGARH, TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024 (MAGHA 10, 1945SAKA)

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GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

(WORKS BRANCH)

NOTIFICATION

The 30th January, 2024

No. WR-IRWR014/2/2024-IW2/451.–In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 31 of the

Northern India Canal and Drainage Act 1873 and Rule 11 of The Northern India Canal and Drainage Rules,

1978 and all other powers enabling him in this behalf, the Governor of Punjab is pleased to formulate policy on

"Canal water usage charges for purposes other than Irrigation”.

1.0

Application and Permission

1.1

The applicant shall apply in a standard application Performa (Annexure A) through online portal of Water

Resources Department i.e https://wrdpbind.com/.

1.2

Competent authority for approval

State Government shall be the competent authority for approval of outlet for the purpose of supply of

canal/river water to forts or other military buildings, cantonments, Civil station, cities, towns, railways,

public garden or other places of public resort, industrial, Power Plant and Bulk Users, Beverages and

Bottled water industry, Drinking water supply (including Railways and Army), Fish Pond and Brick

making and water construction work or any other Non-Irrigation use either by filling of tanks or by

direct flow.

Chief Engineer/Canals shall be the competent authority for approval of outlet for drinking water

purpose on all channels other than Main Canals.

Government shall be competent authority for approval of outlet for drinking water purpose if the

outlet is proposed on Main Canals. The main canals will be notified by the Government from time to

time.

1.3

The permission shall be valid till the terms of the Policy are followed or till the time applicant surrenders the

permission.

1.4

A Contract shall be executed between the concerned Executive Engineer of Water Resources Department

and user after the grant of permission.

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2.0

Schedule of Charges

2.1

Processing Fees

No processing fees shall be charged from users seeking permission for drinking water purpose.

Processing Fee of Rs. 15000/- shall be charged from users seeking permission for commercial use.

The processing fee shall be paid through online mode (or in form of Demand Draft payable on the

name of Chief Engineer/Headquarter till such date the online portal is made operational).

2.2

Water User Charges

Sr.No. Type of use

Water Charges

(in Rs. Per m³)

Drinking Water

Power Plants

Industries and any other Commercial Use

Packaged Drinking Water and Beverages

The above charges shall also be applicable on all Government Department, Boards, Corporations,

etc, including Railways and Army.

3.0

Billing and Metering

(A) Billing for Users having consecutive usage.

3.1

The charges shall be levied as per actual usage of water, calculated by measuring discharge using

digital water flow meter with telemetry.

3.2

The water charges shall be deposited by users through online mode on WRD portal (or in form of

Demand Draft payable on the name of Chief Engineer/ Headquarter till such dates that the online

portal is made operational).

3.3

The user shall be required to deposit an advance equivalent to 1(one) months of water charges along

with the application. The advance shall be in the form of an interest bearing Fixed Deposit, with the

interest payable to the user @ of 2% per annum. For the purpose of calculation of advance deposit,

the volume of water for which permission has been sought shall be considered. The interest earned

on the Fixed Deposit shall be adjusted in the first bill of the next Financial Year.

3.4

The user shall be liable to pay water charges within one month of generation of Bill. In case of delay,

a penalty of 5% per month of outstanding amount shall be levied from the user.

3.5

Specifications issued by Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority for water meters shall

be followed for selection and installation of digital meters as amended from time to time.

3.6

The billing cycle shall be deemed from first day of a month to last calendar day of the month.

3.7

All users shall install digital meter within 60 days of sanction of permission.

3.8

From the date of sanction of permission till the date of installation of meter, the user shall be liable to

pay water charges as per sanctioned volume of water.

3.9

Charges shall be taken on the basis of reading from water meter with telemetry. The water meter

shall be installed at the expense of applicant. The user shall ensure unhindered access to the officials

of Department of Water Resources for checking of water meters installed within his premises.

3.10 In case of any fault in water meter or meter readings are not available; the billing shall be as per

sanctioned volume along with penalty @ 2 times of the amount payable.

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3.11 If at any stage, flow meter is found tempered, the user charges for next quarter shall be levied as per

sanctioned volume at a rate 3 times of the water user charges payable.

(B) Billing for users having non consumptive use.

3.12 For users like thermal plants, etc where water is used for non consumptive purpose, the charges shall

be levied by calculating quantum of water as under:

Discharge = Actual usage i.e difference of water provided to user and returned back by the user in

the system + 20% of discharge released back to Canal.

3.13 The concerned user shall be responsible to ensure the quality of water being returned to canal as per

irrigation norms notified by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

3.14 Such a user is required to install digital water meter with telemetry on both inlet and outlet.

3.15 If a user proposes to use water partially for drinking purpose and partially for commercial purpose,

the process and water user charges for permission for commercial use of water shall be applicable

for whole volume of water.

4.0

Action for violation of conditions of the Policy

4.1

The permission granted shall be deemed to be cancelled if the user fails to deposit water charges for

two consecutive billing cycles. The appeal against such cancellation shall lie with the Government.

4.2 The concerned Executive Engineer/Canals and Ground Water at district level shall be responsible for

closing such outlet within 3 days of the cancellation of permission.

4.3

The permission granted shall be deemed to have been cancelled if the water is used for any purpose

other than which it is proposed to be used in the application.

5.0

Processing of Application

5.1

Application shall be accepted through online portal only. (Application shall however be entertained in

physical form till such time online system is in place, which shall not exceed three months from the

date of this notification) Executive Engineer/Canals at Head Quarter shall act as nodal officer for

timely disposal of such cases in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be issued

by the Government.

5.2

The Department shall endeavor to identify cluster of Industries using water in bulk and shall provide

infrastructure for supply of water to common supply points of such clusters.

5.3

The Department shall also ensure that Local Bodies, Municipal Corporation, Department of Water

Supply and Sanitation etc. are encouraged to use surface water for drinking purposes.

6.0

Applicability

6.1

The policy will be effective from the date of the notification in official Gazette of Government of

Punjab and shall supersede all previous instructions/directions/ notifications issued from time to time

in this regard.

6.2

All contracts existing prior to notification of this Policy shall remain valid till their time of validity.

6.3

The users are free to renew and apply under this Policy even prior to expiry of existing contract.

However, the conditions of this Policy shall continue to be valid for post expiring period till the

application for renewal is decided.

7.0

Non-Availability Certificate

Any user seeking groundwater permission more than or equal to 750 cubic meters per month from

the State Groundwater Authority shall be required to seek non-availability certificate of Canal Water from the

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concerned District Canal Officer of the Department of Water Resources. The Department shall endeavor to

dispose off such application within 7 working days from the date of receipt of such application.

8.0

Saving

If any provision of this Policy, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance,

shall be held invalid, the remainder of this Policy, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances

other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.

9.0

This Policy shall also be applicable in case where river/or any other natural stream water is required

for purpose other than irrigation.

Sd/-

KRISHAN KUMAR, IAS

Chandigarh

Principal Secretary, Government of Punjab

Department of Water Resources