India, Dec. 17 -- The state is planning to introduce several measures, including making prior permission mandatory to fetch groundwater from borewells

Drawing water from borewells may be subject to a licence in Bihar as part of measures that the Nitish Kumar government is planning.

Indiscriminate boring of wells have been blamed for depleting water tables in many parts of the country. In Bihar too, over-exploitation of groundwater is a concern.

The state Minor Water Resources Department (MWRD) has prepared a draft manual on the instruction of the state government. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the department to prepare a fresh manual to restrict overexploitation of groundwater in the state in view of reports of water crisis dur...