The Jharkhand government will soon set up a board to stop depletion of groundwater table, minister Mithilesh Thakur said in the assembly on Monday.?Pointing out that only 14 states have groundwater boards, Thakur, the Minister of State, Water Resource department, said a draft has been prepared and the board will be functional by next year. ??

Thakur said this in reply to a question from Congress MLA Pradip Yadav?on depleting groundwater table across the state.?During Question Hour, Yadav wanted to know from the state government if it had any detailed report on the reasons for the depleting groundwater table and the actions being taken to correct it. ?

The groundwater situation is critical in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Ramgarh districts and other places of the state, the Congress MLA said. Replying to the question, Thakur said irrigation projects based on deep bore well have been completely stopped.?

"Mass campaign to save groundwater is being carried out. Installation of the rainwater harvesting system is being expedited. As many as 178 rainwater harvesting projects are underway in different government and private buildings,” he said.?Since the state does not have its groundwater board, the government is not able to initiate strict action.?

“Even the central groundwater board does not have any power to impose a fine. Jharkhand’s groundwater board will be set up soon”, the minister said.?The BJP chief whip Biranchi Narayan raised the issue of identification of those who had participated in movements for a separate state whether in the name of Jharkhand or Vananchal.?

He alleged that the names of many agitators who participated in the movement in name of Vananchal were dropped.?Narayan demanded identification and government benefits for those who fought for a separate state in name of Vananchal.?

He also demanded the same for the people who participated in the JP movement from Jharkhand. The demand raised by Narayan was supported by many opposition and ruling party legislators.?

Replying to Narayan, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Alamgir Alam, assured the MLAs that persons who have participated in the agitation for separate states will be identified and benefits will be provided, irrespective of the name of movements.