Groundwater Extraction NOCs to Go Digital by End of September

The Water Resources Department will soon make the process of issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs) for groundwater extraction digital for industries and commercial users across Tamil Nadu by September. This change aims to improve monitoring and approval processes.

Currently, the State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre (WRD) provides NOCs manually for industries using borewells. With help from the e-Governance Agency, the online system is almost ready. Once live, businesses can apply through e-Sevai centers.

Each year, about 2,500 NOCs are issued to water-based industries. The department charges ₹6,000 per borewell. Going digital will cut approval times from months to around a month, including inspections.

Applicants will soon need to certify they meet conditions, like installing flowmeters and rainwater harvesting systems, as part of the online process. Renewals are also set to go online by year-end.

A new bill awaiting the Governor’s approval will expand NOC requirements to include private water tankers and mines. It will also let authorities set fees and penalties for unauthorized extraction.

Currently, nearly 386 areas are over-exploited and 62 critical zones according to recent assessments. Over-exploitation has slightly decreased from 395 in 2023 to 386 in 2025 due to conservation efforts. Groundwater can be drawn in safe and semi-critical zones, with districts like Ramanathapuram and Kancheepuram having many such areas.