The Hindu : Regulate groundwater exploitation, says expert

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Regulate groundwater exploitation, says expert

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MARCH 13. Exploitation of groundwater should be regulated not to exceed the recharged quantities. Emphasis should be given to groundwater and soil conservation right from planning stage and be made an integral part of any project implementation, R.K. Sivanappan, water expert, said on Thursday.

Palar and Cauvery, including the Noyyal, Amaravathy and Bhavani, the Vaigai and to some extent, the Tamaraparani, are affected with pollutants such as fertilizers and pesticides. Sand mining is a serious problem in the Palar and Cauvery basins in addition to Chennai basin, which has rivers in the city and on its outskirts.

Dr. Sivanappan was participating in a two-day State-level consultation on the status of water resources and strategies for its protection and management in Tamil Nadu organised by the Forum for Protection of Water and Livelihood Resources - Karur, Campaign for the Protection of Water Resources - Tamil Nadu, Campaign for Right to Livelihood and Food Security - T.N. and Coastal Action Network.

The methods for urban and rural water harvesting, moisture conservation and water management practices should be implemented to conserve water, he said.

At the end of the workshop, the participating groups adopted 37 resolutions. Some of the resolutions pertained to immediate implementation of the Tamil Nadu State Ground Water (Development and Management) Act - 2003 and strict enforcement of the Chennai Metropolitan Area Ground Water Regulation Act.

The groups called for a ban on privatisation of water, including water mining for cities, beverages, mineral water corporates and municipalities.

The participants called for desilting all lakes and clearing encroachments in the lake channels.

They stressed on planting native species of trees across irrigation tanks and lakes to increase groundwater recharge and prohibit cementing of canals.

The organisers demanded making public the baseline survey data on the status of water bodies in the State, conducted by research institutions, universities and government departments, under the Right to Information Act.

"Sand mining along all the river basins has ruined thousands of villages, especially their agriculture, drinking water, groundwater table and natural resources. It has led to complete destruction of the natural flow of water and its conservation in irrigation tanks, ponds and reservoirs. A complete ban on sand mining has to be enforced with immediate effect," the participants resolved.

They also called for a halt to dumping hospital wastes into water bodies at Sriperumbudur and in other water resources.

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