The government has registered a bill in Parliament with stringent actions against those polluting water resources.

The Bill on Water Resources, registered at the House of Representatives, envisions three months to three years of imprisonment or half a million rupees in fine or both for those who dispose of waste or mix industrial wastewater, poison, chemicals, or toxic items in rivers, ponds, lakes, and other sources. It also prohibits mixing sewage in water resources without treatment.

The bill proposes those polluting water resources will face prosecution in district courts.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, the bill was prepared to protect water resources and delegate authorities among different tiers of government in the development and operation of water resource products.

The bill will be tabled in the lower house and then sent to a House committee for further discussion. It needs to be endorsed by both Houses to become an Act. “The Act will come into force from the 31st day of its authentication by the President,” reads the bill's preamble.

The bill envisions forming a powerful 11-member Energy and Water Resource Commission led by the minister for energy, water resources and irrigation to make decisions regarding the development of water resource projects with long-term implications. The commission, which also has representation from the local governments, has the authority to devise policies related to water resources and energy, formulate the basis for sharing water resources among different tiers of governments and provide suggestions in the bilateral or multilateral agreements on energy and water resources.

The commission, however, will have no representations from provincial governments.

Once formed, the commission will set up an electronic information centre on energy and water resources.

Amid reports that water level is fast depleting everywhere, the commission is also mandated to study the status of underground water along with surface water. The level of the groundwater in several places from Tarai-Madhesh regions have gone down significantly. Locals from those areas are having hard times to have even the drinking water mainly during dry seasons. Rapid destruction of the Chure area is the prime reason for water level depletion, according to experts.

The bill says the commission can fully or partially stop the extraction of groundwater in certain areas if the studies suggest that the level of water has dropped too low or the unchecked pumping of water causes threat to some areas.

“The commission can also stop the use of surface water if necessary if the water source is polluted or causes a negative impact to the environment and ecology,” the bill says.

The bill makes water auditing mandatory which includes checking the quality of water, inspecting if the water resources are being used as per the permission and finding out what steps have been taken to protect water resources.