
PUDUCHERRY: V Chandrasekhar, president of the Bangaaru Vaickal Neeraadhara Koottamaippu, (a Canal Water Resources Consortium) has urged the government for the cancellation of tender process to construct three borewells on the Sitheri Anaicut bund over the Then Pennaiyar river in Puducherry.
The project, part of the “Augmentation of Water Supply Source for Urban Areas” scheme funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), is intended to provide urban drinking water.
The Puducherry government floated the tender on January 13, with an estimated cost of Rs 49.38 lakh. The tender closes on January 21, with construction scheduled for completion within a month of the work order.
However, Chandrasekhar, in a memorandum to Lt Governor K Kailashnathan on Friday, criticised the project for its potential environmental impact and alleged lack of stakeholder consultation.
He highlighted repeated public protests by farmers since the scheme’s inception in 2016, which previously led to its suspension. Chandrasekhar expressed alarm that deep borewells were being commissioned to cater to urban water demands, arguing that such projects deplete the groundwater reserves which are already fragile.
Referring to statements made by Chief Minister N Rangasamy and Public Works Department (PWD) Minister K Lakshminarayanan in the Legislative Assembly, Chandrasekhar disputed assurances that the sinking of 40 borewells on river beds would not affect water tables. He explained that deep borewells tap into aquifers with limited recharge potential, rendering the proposal “unscientific” and unsustainable.
Citing the Central Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, which prohibit permanent structures in waterbodies, he claimed the project violates environmental laws. Chandrasekhar also questioned the government’s response to a notice issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in July 2023, warning that failure to address it could amount to contempt of court.
The memorandum stressed the importance of conducting mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), public hearings, and third-party consultations before implementing large-scale projects. Chandrasekhar advocated a holistic approach to water resource management, emphasising the revival of traditional water systems like Eris (tanks), ponds, and channels for sustainable groundwater recharge.
He urged the L-G to stop the current tender and redirect funds toward community-driven conservation efforts. “If the tank system is augmented and managed by the community, irreversible environmental damage can be averted,” he said.