Tamil NaduFriday, 26 June 2026·The Hindu - National
Tamil Nadu to move groundwater extraction NOC approvals online under WRD portal
Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department will shift groundwater extraction NOC issuance for industries and commercial users to an online system, with a new Water Resources Act still awaiting assent.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In June 2026, Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department (WRD) said it would shift groundwater extraction no-objection certificates (NOCs) for industries and commercial users to an online portal, after the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed the Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and Augmentation) Bill, 2026 in January 2026.
Key specifics
- Tamil Nadu has 1,202 revenue firkas, of which 386 are over-exploited and 62 are critical groundwater zones as per the March 2025 assessment.
- Groundwater extraction is allowed only in safe and semi-critical firkas; Sivagangai, Thoothukudi, Ariyalur, Chengalpattu and Pudukottai are among the districts with more safe zones.
- WRD currently issues NOCs to about 2,500 water-based industries every year, with a service charge of ₹6,000 for each borewell or open well.
- The new Act, once in force, will empower the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Authority to fix tariff for groundwater drawal by commercial users and prescribe penalties for unauthorised extraction.
- The department plans to reduce approval time to 30–40 days, including field inspection, compared with the present process that can take up to five months in some cases.
Exam lens
TNPSC Polity and governance question: match the groundwater zones, the new Bill, and the authority powers; remember 1,202 firkas, 386 over-exploited, 62 critical, and the 2026 Bill awaiting assent.