The CPI(M) has urged the Lt. Governor to scrap the licences granted to distillery units in view of a recent order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing the establishment of safeguards for groundwater reserves in relation with a drinking water supply project involving deep borewells.

In a memorandum to the Lt. Governor, S. Ramachandran, CPM State secretary, pointed out that what the NGT had stated in relation with the ₹534-crore borewell project water supply project funded by the Agence Française de Développement applies to all matters related to groundwater extraction.

In the wake of the NGT ruling, that strengthened the contention of conservationists, civil society and political parties like the CPI(M) in demanding a comprehensive analysis and real-time monitoring of water resources before the implementation of the AfD project, the CPI(M) urged the government to “voluntarily cancel the recent licences issued for distillery units without which the govt will have to face contempt of court proceedings”.

According to the memorandum, there had been deep concerns over the government’s move to sink deep borewells in the rural areas of Puducherry for augmenting round-the-clock drinking water supply to the urban areas. There had been instances where the PWD had called for tenders for sinking borewells in Bahour as well as the PWD Minister visiting Bahour to”convince” the people of Bahour to abandon their opposition.

Puducherry has a rich legacy of community-driven water management systems since the ancient period of the Kudimaramath system of Eris and the Bangari-Singari sisters in Bahour, the Oosi in Ousittery and the Aayi Mandapam which is the logo for Union Territory, Mr. Ramachandran said. However, the government has repeatedly ignored the role of the communities and instead devised ill-designed projects like the AFD project which has resulted in severe depletion of ground water resources in spite of the Central Ground Water Board flagging ground water resources in the region as “critically exploited”.

The memorandum reiterated the demand for a comprehensive analysis of water resources of the State to be done and the outcome published as a white paper in public domain and a public hearing with the stakeholders before taking any steps to implement this project and other projects such as new distilleries which negatively impact groundwater.

The government should redesign the PWD Irrigation Department into a more practical Water Resources Department combining relevant sections of the Local Administration, Agriculture Department and the PWD and ensure engagement with the communities for the operation and management of water bodies and retaining the customary rights of Eris with the communities rather than the government departments. It called for a significant redesign of the water supply project under the guidance of a Water Resource Department with active participation of the stakeholders.