Can groundwater be sold?

Hi,

I am raising this important question and would appreciate a feedback. I live in Nagpur and find ground water being sold in tankers from a number of places. If a person is lucky to have his house where there is adequate quantity of ground water, he has to simply install a pump and advertise in the papers and soon one will have tankers waiting in a queue. The ground water is being sold in utter disregard to the fact that the water table in the adjoining areas is going down. I am sure this must be the position in all other places.

The Government authorities seem to be oblivious of the rule position. It is very strange that while on one hand so much propaganda is being made on climate change, environment, water conservation, the government is just sleeping over the matter.

I would like to know through this Forum whether there is any explanation to this?


Cyril