The key points addressed in Karnataka ground water (regulation for protection of sources of drinking water) act, 1999, are -

• Sinking a well for the purpose of extracting or drawing water within a distance of 500 metres from a public drinking water source without obtaining permission of the Appropriate Authority is prohibited.
• The Appropriate Authority, in times of water scarcity may declare an area to be a water scarcity area for such period as may be specified in the order, but not exceeding one year at a time.
• Upon declaration of any area as water scarcity area, the Appropriate Authority may order for restricting or prohibiting extraction for any purpose where such well is within 500 metres of the public drinking water source.
• The Appropriate Authority on the advice of the technical officer may declare a watershed as over exploited watershed.
• The Appropriate Authority shall have powers to prohibit sinking of wells in over exploited watersheds.
• If the Appropriate Authority is satisfied that any existing well in area of an over exploited watershed is already affecting any public drinking water source, it may prohibit the extraction of water from such well during the period from February to July every year.

Read the Act