ABSTRACT. Public Works Department, Dated

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1 ABSTRACT GROUND WATER Estimation of Ground Water Resources of Tamil Nadu as on March, 2011 Categorization of Firkas as Over Exploited, Critical, Semi-Critical, Safe and Saline for Ground Water Development in Tamil Nadu Approved Orders Issued Public Works(R2) Department G.O.(Ms) No. 113 Dated J K»», itfhá 27 ÂUtŸSt M L 2047 ORDER: Read again :- 1. G.O.Ms.No.326, Public Works Department, Dated 2. G.O.Ms.No.51, Public Works Department, Dated 3. G.O.Ms.No.52, Public Works Department, Dated 4. G.O.Ms.No.142, Public Works Department, Dated Read also: 5. From the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water resources Data Centre, Letter No. DD (G) / 8474 / Assessment / 2011, Dated and *-*-* Based on the development of the ground water resources, the Panchayat Union Blocks in Tamil Nadu weree categorized into Dark and Grey areas as on January 1992 and January 1997 in the Government Order 1 st read above.. The Blocks with more than 85% to 100% ground water development were categorized as Dark Blocks and the Blocks with ground water development between 65% to 85% were categorized as Grey Blocks. The Government directed that no Scheme should be formulated in Dark Blocks and that in Grey Blocks; Schemes should be formulated in consultation with Ground Water Wing of the Public Works Department only. The above categorisation was done in accordance with the then prevailing Ground Water Estimation Committee 1984 (GEC-1984) Norms. Thereafter, the Committee constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, has recommended to adopt the GEC-1997 Norms for estimation of the ground water resources in all the States. 2. In the Government Order second read above, the Government approved the categorization of the Panchayat Union Blocks in Tamil Nadu as Over-Exploited, Critical,

2 Semi-Critical and Safe Blocks for ground water development as on January, The Government directed that no Schemes should be formulated in Over Exploited and Critical Blocks and in Semi-Critical and Safe Blocks, all the Schemes should be formulated in consultation with the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre of the Water Resources Organisation in the Public Works Department. It was also ordered therein that the term Scheme excludes energisation of agricultural pump sets by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. The Government further directed that appropriate rain water harvesting and artificial recharge schemes be carried out in all the categories of Blocks and while carrying out the above Schemes, priority should be given to the Over Exploited and Critical Blocks so as to avoid further deterioration. 3. In the Government Order third read above, the Government approved the categorization of the Over-Exploited, Critical, Semi-Critical and Safe Blocks based on the assessment of the State Ground Water Resources as on March All the Over Exploited and Critical Blocks were notified as A Category (where the stage of ground water extraction is 90% and above) and all the Semi Critical and Safe Blocks were notified as B Category (where the stage of ground water extraction is below 89%). The Government directed that no Schemes should be formulated in Over Exploited and Critical blocks Notified as A Category Blocks In Semi-Critical and Safe Blocks Notified as B Category Blocks, all the Schemes should be formulated through the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre of the Water Resources Department and the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, would issue No Objection Certificate for ground water clearance. The Government further directed to exclude the ground water drawal for domestic purpose by individual household; domestic Infrastructure Project (Housing); Government s Drinking Water Supply Schemes and Non Water based Industries (i.e., the industries which do not require and use water, either as raw material or for other processing). The Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, would permit domestic use of water by these Non Water based Industries by issuing No Objection Certificate based on the hydro-geological conditions. The Government further directed that appropriate Rain Water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge Schemes should be carried out in the categories viz, Over exploited, Critical, Semi Critical and Safe Blocks of Tamil Nadu and while carrying out the above Schemes, priority should be given to marginal quality and bad quality areas so as to avoid further deterioration. The Government further directed that all the Schemes and Proposals based on ground water would have to adhere to the Government Orders and Conditions detailed in the Annexure-II to the above mentioned Government Order. This Government Order had been upheld by the Hon ble Bench of Madras High Court, in its Common Judgement dated , in Writ Appeal Nos. 923 to 926 of 2009, etc. 4. In furtherance of the Orders and Instructions issued in the Government Order third read above, the Regulations for management of groundwater and Issue of No Objection Certificate / License for extraction of groundwater in the State were approved in the Government Order fourth read above. 5. In the letter fifth read above, the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, has sent a proposal for approval of Categorization of the Firkas, based on the ground water assessment as on March 2011 for the State of Tamil Nadu, based on the District Collectors requests in several District meetings so as to

3 3 control misuse of the ground water by over extraction which in turn may affect the general public, as detailed below: a) The ground water resources of the State of Tamil Nadu are being estimated periodically in co-ordination with the Central Ground Water Board, South Eastern Coastal Region, Chennai, based on the Methodology evolved by the Ground Water Resources Estimation Committee 1997 (GEC 97). b) The assessment previously estimated for Tamil Nadu as on March 2009 and approved by the Government of Tamil Nadu vide the Government Order third read above is being followed now. c) As discussed and decided in the State Level Technical Co-ordination Committee Meeting while approving the March 2009 report, the assessment of the State ground water resources as on March 2011 was taken up jointly with the Central Ground Water Board and completed. The Technical details involved in the Assessment, as on March, 2011 were placed before the State Level Technical Working Group (constituted vide G.O.(Ms)No. 457, P.W.D., Dated ) in its meeting held on and got approved. The Assessment for 2011 was again placed before the State Level Committee for Re-estimation of Groundwater Resources Assessment (constituted vide G.O.(Ms) No.24, Public Works Department, dated ) in its meeting held on and the same was approved. d) The National as well as the State Water Policies have emphasized periodic assessment of the ground water resources. So far, the assessment had been done once in five years. The time gap between two consecutive assessments has been reduced to two years and the scenario on the Resource Potential and categorization have also been changed since then. Further, right from the beginning, the Development Block was taken as the Unit for assessment based on which all the Blocks were categorized. Nearly, more than 45% of the areas in the State fall under Over Exploited and Critical Blocks which require prohibition / regulation of further ground water extraction in the Blocks. e) The National and State Water Policies envisage the assessment in smaller hydrological unit. For the purpose of effective regulation and implementation of assessment, the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre has decided to take up the Firka as the Assessment Unit, since a Firka is smaller than a Block in extent. This will help to identify the ground water potential pockets within the Over Exploited and Critical Blocks; thereby a part of an Over Exploited Block may be prohibited for further ground water extraction, whereas another other part of the Block may be allowed ground water extraction. This will alleviate the Industrial Sectors that happen to be in the Over Exploited and Critical Blocks. Indirectly, this will accelerate the industrial growth in the State as well as pinpoint the areas where steps need to be taken for better ground water management. Hence State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre desires to implement the Ground Water Assessment 2011 immediately as it may help the Industrial Sectors in Over Exploited and Critical Blocks of 2009 to come out from the total ban on Schemes in these Blocks and also to take immediate measures

4 to arrest further exploitation of ground water in the Over Exploited and Critical Firka as on The Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, has therefore requested for approval of the Ground Water Assessment, 2011 and Notification of the categorization of the Firka of Tamil Nadu based on the above assessment, since the assessment as on March 2013 is under progress. He has also requested that the Orders issued in paragraphs 9 to 12 of the Government Order third read above and subsequent Orders issued by the Government on regulation and management of ground water in Tamil Nadu then and there be treated as Standing Orders, except the categorisation of the Blocks. 7.The Government have decided to accept the proposal of the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre and accordingly, the Government approve the categorization of the Revenue Firkas as Over-Exploited, Critical, Semi-Critical, Safe and Saline as detailed in the Annexure-I of this order, which shall be notified in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette. 8. The Government further direct that no Schemes should be formulated in over exploited and critical Firkas Notified as A category Firkas. In Semi Critical and Safe blocks Notified as B category Firkas, all the Schemes should be formulated through the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre of the Water Resources Department and the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre will issue No Objection Certificate for Ground Water Clearance. 9. The Government further direct to exclude the Ground Water drawal for domestic purpose by individual household; domestic Infrastructure project (Housing); Government s Drinking Water Supply Schemes and non water based industries, (i.e, the industries which do not require and use water, either as raw material or for other processing). The Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, will permit domestic use of water by the non water based industries by issuing No Objection Certificate based on the hydro-geological conditions. The list of nonwater based industries will be issued by the Industries Department of Government of Tamil Nadu separately. 10. The Government further direct that appropriate rain water harvesting and Artificial recharge schemes shall be carried out in the categories viz, Over exploited, Critical, Semi Critical, Safe and saline frikas of Tamil Nadu. While carrying out the above Schemes, priority shall be given to marginal quality and bad quality areas so as to avoid further deterioration. 11. The Government further direct that all the schemes and proposals based on ground water will have to be adhere to the Government Orders and Conditions as detailed in the Annexure-II of this order. (BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR) N.S.PALANIAPPAN ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT To The Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, Taramani, Chennai-113.