[Jueqelyl]

Despite widespread commercial exploitation, Tamil Nadu has done fairly well in protecting groundwater resources in the last five years.

The periodic study undertaken by the state WRO (water resource organisation) every five years has indicated a marginal improvement in the groundwater level in the last five years. According to the report, yet to be notified by the Union water resource ministry, the number of critical blocks (areas where groundwater is exploited between 90–100 per cent of the rainfall received there) has reduced by 10 to around 25.

The last report was published in 2004. By then, 37 of the total 385 blocks were `critical'. Semi-critical blocks (areas with groundwater utilisation between 70 and 90 per cent of the total rainfall received) were learnt to have increased to nearly 115 in the recent study.

However, there is not much progress in terms of overexploited blocks (groundwater exploitation is more than 100 per cent of the rainfall received there), which still number over 135 blocks, senior WRO sources told Deccan Chronicle. Only 95 blocks in TN have safe groundwater situation with the amount of water tapped hovering below 70 per cent of the rainfall received there.

It was during the last five years that groundwater was exploited in an aggressive manner, particularly by industries and the water mafia. Senior WRO officials attributed the marginal rise in the groundwater level to adequate rainfall in the recent years besides constant monitoring and remedial measures taken by the department.

PWD experts say the scenario could be improved further if the rainwater harvesting structures are wellmaintained and WRO strengthened with better monitoring facilities and given more staff.

- dc chennai