Gurgaon: More than 2,000 applications seeking permissions for groundwater extraction are pending before Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA). As a result, exporters, industrial units and ethanol manufacturers are claiming that delays in obtaining groundwater-related no objection certificates (NOCs) are affecting business operations and regulatory compliance.In fact, HWRA has been functioning without a chairperson for nearly nine months, raising concerns among industries over delayed approvals, stalled investments and licence renewals. The HWRA chairperson’s post has remained vacant since Sept 2025 following the completion of the tenure of former chairperson Keshni Anand Arora. Powers have subsequently shifted to the additional chief secretary of the irrigation and water resources department.According to stakeholders, exporters are among the worst affected as several regulatory permissions and compliance requirements are linked to groundwater approvals. They claimed that licences of around 11 ethanol plants are awaiting renewal by the excise department because mandatory groundwater-related NOCs have not been issued.Industry representatives said companies requiring NOCs for groundwater extraction, expansion projects and statutory compliance have been waiting for approvals for months. Sonipat Dyers Association member Bhupender Rana told TOI, “Industries are not seeking any relaxation in groundwater regulations. We only want timely disposal of applications. Delays in approvals are affecting expansion plans, regulatory compliance and investment decisions.”According to officials, an advertisement issued in Oct 2025 reportedly attracted three eligible applicants, but the selection process could not be finalised. The post was advertised again in Feb 2026. However, only one application was received and the candidate was found ineligible, an HWRA official said.Queries seeking responses on the exact number of pending applications, reasons for the prolonged vacancy, the impact on industries and the timeline for appointment of a new chairperson were sent to additional chief secretary (irrigation and water resources) Anurag Agarwal and irrigation minister Shruti Choudhry. Their responses were awaited at the time of filing this report. “The selection process is underway and efforts are being made to fill the post. Applications are also being processed as per the prescribed procedure,” an official said.The delays have wider implications beyond individual industries. Groundwater NOCs are often linked to environmental compliance, industrial expansion, financing and licence renewals. Prolonged pendency can delay new investments, affect export-oriented units and create uncertainty for businesses planning capacity expansion.Environmentalist Narendra Sirohi told TOI, “Haryana had emerged as one of the leading states in water management through institutional reforms and regulatory mechanisms. The delay is affecting industries, exporters and ethanol plants awaiting approvals and also raises questions about effective regulation of groundwater extraction.”Experts warn that a weakened regulatory framework could undermine groundwater governance in a state where several districts are already classified as overexploited, making timely approvals and effective monitoring equally important for both economic growth and sustainable water management.The issue assumes significance because Haryana has often been projected as one of the better-performing states in water governance. After 2016, the state undertook a series of institutional reforms and established bodies such as HWRA, Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority (MICADA) and Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority between 2019 and 2021.Haryana also became the first state in the country to formulate and implement an integrated water resources management plan for 2022-25 and received recognition for implementation of programmes such as Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Shakti Abhiyan and promotion of micro-irrigation.Sirohi alleged that the regulatory framework currently covers only a fraction of the entities that should ideally be regulated. According to estimates cited by stakeholders, nearly 35,000 entities across Haryana should be obtaining groundwater extraction permissions, while only around 3,500 entities are presently covered in the authority’s records. “Those who have applied for permissions are facing delays and compliance burdens, while illegal groundwater extraction continues in several areas outside the regulatory net,” he alleged.Several districts in Haryana continue to face groundwater stress and depend on effective regulation to ensure sustainable extraction and long-term water security.
