Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have issued a notice to a Microsoft project in Greater Noida for allegedly extracting groundwater without the legally required permissions, amid growing concern over rapidly declining water tables in the region.
The notice was issued on December 15, 2025 by the Ground Water Department in Gautam Buddh Nagar district to the Microsoft project located in Sector 145, Noida. Officials said the action was taken after it was found that groundwater was being extracted without a No Objection Certificate (NOC), in violation of state law.
The Noida-Greater Noida region has been categorised as “over-exploited” or “critical” in several assessments by the Central Ground Water Board and the Uttar Pradesh government, reflecting sustained pressure on groundwater resources due to rapid urbanisation and industrial growth.
Legal framework and inspection findings
In its notice, the Ground Water Department said the Uttar Pradesh Groundwater (Management and Regulation) Act, 2019, has been in force since October 2019. The legislation aims to protect, conserve, control and regulate groundwater use across the state. The corresponding rules, notified in 2020, were introduced to ensure effective implementation of the Act.
Despite this, officials said it had come to the department’s attention that several industries and institutions were extracting groundwater without securing mandatory NOCs.
According to the notice, a departmental team carried out a surprise inspection at the Microsoft project site in Sector 145, Noida. During the inspection, officials found 10 borewells installed at the premises. The department said no valid permits or NOCs were produced for these borewells at the time.
Following the inspection, the Executive Engineer of the Ground Water Department’s Gautam Buddh Nagar office issued the notice to the project management.
The department has directed the company to submit copies of all borewell permissions to its office within 15 working days and to send the documents to the official email address provided in the notice.
The notice states that failure to comply within the stipulated period will be treated as illegal groundwater extraction under the Groundwater Act, 2019, and will attract fines and punitive action.
Penalties under the law
The department cited Sections 27, 28 and 29 of the Act, which lay down provisions to prevent unauthorised extraction and ensure judicious use of groundwater. Officials said that the unauthorised withdrawal not only violates the law but also contributes to groundwater depletion and pollution.
Section 39 of the Act provides for stringent penalties for unauthorised extraction of groundwater for commercial purposes. Individuals, groups or organisations found guilty may face fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, imprisonment for six months to one year, or both.
The department said such offences are cognisable and undermine the core objectives of the legislation, which seeks to conserve groundwater for present and future needs.
Officials also reiterated that all groundwater users in Gautam Buddh Nagar district are required to register under the Act and obtain a NoC before extracting groundwater. Drilling agencies must also be registered under the law.
Growing concern over groundwater stress
Environmentalists and groundwater experts say the action highlights the severity of the water crisis in the region.
Vikrant Tongad, an environmentalist, said Gautam Buddh Nagar — particularly Noida and Greater Noida — is facing acute groundwater stress due to rapid urbanisation and expanding industrial activity. “Several reports by the Central Ground Water Board and the state government have categorised this region as over-exploited or critical,” he said. “Despite this, large construction and industrial projects continue to rely heavily on groundwater, and illegal extraction is also taking place.”
Groundwater experts warn that continued non-compliance by large corporate and real estate projects could further depress water tables and exacerbate drinking water shortages in surrounding rural and urban areas.
The Microsoft campus in Sector 145 was inaugurated in March 2025.
