CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department (WRD) has been awaiting state government’s approval for nearly seven months to sanction Rs 6.3 crore for a pilot study on village-level aquifer mapping in the districts of Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, and Krishnagiri—areas classified as “over-exploited” in terms of groundwater availability. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted in December last year.
The WRD currently conducts groundwater mapping at the firka level across all districts except Chennai. Of the roughly 1,200 firkas in Tamil Nadu, nearly 400 have been categorised as over-exploited, with many others in critical or semi-critical condition. In the three targeted districts, around 50% of the firkas fall under the over-exploited category due to agricultural, industrial, and domestic use.
A senior WRD official from the groundwater wing said, “The government has not rejected the proposal. We are hopeful of receiving approval by the end of June.” He explained that, as per Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) guidelines, data collection is vital for managing the lakhs of borewells operating in each district.
Once sanctioned, private consultants will be appointed to conduct technical surveys, collecting data on groundwater levels, recharge potential, and source availability at every village. Based on pilot results, the scheme may be expanded to other districts.
Welcoming the initiative, K Subramani, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said illegal water extraction continues unchecked and urged the government to expedite approval and enforce stronger groundwater regulation measures.