Water Resources Management Regulations, 2023: Amendment (G.N. 180 of 2025).

These Regulations aim to enhance transparency, environmental oversight, and public participation in licensing decisions by replacing Regulation 113 by introducing stricter public notification requirements for persons applying for a licence to remove rocks, sand, or gravel from a watercourse for commercial purposes. It requires applicants to publish their intention at least 60 days before applying in both the Government Gazette and a widely circulated local newspaper in the area concerned. The notice must include detailed information such as the applicant’s identity and contact details, the name of the watercourse, precise site location with coordinates, maps and descriptions, estimated quantities and maximum depth of extraction, and environmental impact information confirming that an Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted and indicating where it can be accessed. It must also set out a formal process for public objections.