Exploitation of groundwater must end in TN
It’s a case of ‘water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink’. Last summer, Tamil Nadu faced an acute drinking water shortage and water managers struggled to meet the state’s requirements. This year, another crisis of sorts has begun. This too is man-made, though arguably less dire. Last week, the Madras High Court came down heavily on officials for failing to implement a 2017 order to close unauthorised units tapping groundwater. This included the 1,800 packaged drinking water units operating across the state. A vast majority of these units lack proper licenses and no objection certificates.
As officials belatedly swung into action, associations representing these units went on strike. While drinking water supplied by the state is widely available, a significant number of residents have grown accustomed to packaged drinking water. They prefer the taste and convenience and, given that state-supplied water can appear murky, believe it to be safer. Indeed, in parts of Chennai, Metro Water consumers have sometimes been supplied with sewage-contaminated water, affecting public trust in the service. The dependence of so many residents on packaged drinking water puts the government under pressure. Further, sealing all the unauthorised units may cause loss of jobs.
However, the crime of these units is serious. Unchecked drawing of groundwater for commercial purposes contributes to water shortage. As much as residents may have grown to rely on such units to meet their drinking water needs, the cost of the exploitation of public resources for commercial gain is much greater than the `20 charged for a can of water. The HC on Tuesday rightly slammed the strike for attempting to pressure the court and questioned how these units could be allowed to extract groundwater free of cost. The exploitation undoubtedly affects the future of every resident of the state. Better and sustained regulation as well as monitoring is essential. The long-term solution is for the state to work on regaining public trust and showing citizens that it can and will provide safe drinking water to every resident. Other states in India have done this, and it is hardly impossible for TN to achieve. All it will require is political and bureaucratic will.