Tamil Nadu WRD to Digitise Groundwater Extraction NOCs by End of September

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 initiative is aimed at streamlining clearance procedures and strengthening monitoring mechanisms.

At present, the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre under the department issues NOCs manually to water-based industries seeking to sink borewells for groundwater extraction. The department, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, is in the final stages of preparing the online portal. Once launched, the service will be made available through e-Sevai centres across the State.

Every year, the department issues NOCs to approximately 2,500 water-based industrial units under both fresh and renewal categories, levying a service charge of ₹6,000 for each borewell. Under the manual system, processing fresh applications takes two to three months, while renewals take up to four months following field inspections. The digitised system is expected to shorten the approval timeline for fresh applications to 30 to 35 days, which includes the duration required for field inspections.

Officials stated that a self-certification mechanism will also be introduced. Under this system, applicants must certify their compliance with mandatory guidelines, such as installing digital flowmeters and rainwater harvesting structures, at the time of application. The renewal process is slated to transition online by the end of the year.

The regulatory scope is expected to expand significantly once the Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and Augmentation) Bill, 2026, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly in January, receives the Governor's assent. Officials estimate that the new legislation will bring at least 25,000 industries under the NOC framework, alongside private water tankers and mining operations carrying out dewatering activities. The legislation will also authorise officials to set tariffs and penalise unauthorised groundwater drawal.

Meanwhile, members of the Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association have urged the government to extend the validity period of NOC approvals to three years.

According to the Dynamic Groundwater Resources Assessment for Tamil Nadu as of 2025, 386 of the State's 1,202 firkas or blocks are classified as over-exploited, down from 395 in 2023, while 62 are categorised as critical zones. Groundwater extraction remains permitted only in safe and semi-critical zones, which are widely found in districts such as Kancheepuram, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Virudhunagar, and Thoothukudi.