Groundwater extraction NOC for commercial users to go digital by end of September

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The Water Resources Department has allowed groundwater extraction in safe and semi-critical zones. (File photo) | Photo Credit: KARUNAKARAN M

The Water Resources Department is set to digitise the process of issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs) for groundwater extraction by industries and commercial users across Tamil Nadu by the end of September. The move is aimed at streamlining the monitoring mechanism and clearance process.

At present, the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre (WRD) provides NOC manually to water-based industries for groundwater extraction by sinking borewells. WRD officials said the work, which is being taken up along with the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, for online processing and issuance of NOC for commercial extraction is in its final stages. The service would be offered as one of the common online services through e-Sevai centres.

On average, the department issued NOCs to about 2,500 water-based industries across the State under both new and renewal categories every year. The department levies a service charge of ₹6,000 for each borewell.

The online process is aimed at reducing the time taken to approve NOCs from fresh applicants from the current two or three months to 30-35 days, including field inspections. Similarly, renewal of NOCs through the manual process currently takes up to four months after field visits.

The department plans to introduce a self-certification mechanism under which applicants would be required to certify compliance with conditions, including the installation of flowmeters and rainwater harvesting structures, while submitting applications. The renewal process is also expected to be brought online by the year-end.

Once the Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and Augmentation) Bill, 2026, which was passed in the Legislative Assembly in January, is enacted, more categories of users are expected to be covered. The Act is awaiting the Governor’s assent.

“We are expecting to bring in at least 25,000 industries in T.N. under the ambit of NOC. Once the rules are in place, private water tankers drawing water and mines carrying dewatering operations would also be covered,” said an official. The Act would empower the authorities to fix tariff and prescribe penalties for unauthorised groundwater extraction.

Members of the Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association said the department must extend the validity of the approval to three years.

Of the nearly 1,202 firkas/blocks in the State, nearly 386 have been identified as over-exploited and 62 others as critical zones according to the Dynamic Groundwater Resources Assessment for Tamil Nadu as of 2025. The number of over-exploited zones has shown a marginal improvement, declining from 395 in 2023 to 386 in 2025 owing to increasing awareness of groundwater conservation and schemes.

The department allowed groundwater drawal in safe and semi-critical zones.