‘Private estates dig illegal borewells in the hills’

This will lead to depletion of resources and over extraction of water; conservationists

Conservationists have complained of illegal borewells being dug atop hills in Dindigul district, including Sirumalai and Palani hills. Digging borewells on hills requires proper permission from the Collector, which is given only for agricultural purposes. However, conservationists say that there are many borewells that have been dug without permission across Palani Hills. The same issue has been brought to the fore in Sirumalai.

“In villages in Oddanchatram range like Kannanur, Pulikuthikadu etc, people have dug borewells as per their wish. If people get permission for five borewells in an area, the drilling vehicles that go atop the hills are used to drill more borewells and are sent down only after a couple of days. Huge private estates in areas like Chembarankulam under Perumpallam range of Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary, have their own drilling vehicles and dig borewells indiscriminately,” alleged Arun Sankar, conservationist from Oddanchatram.

The ideal procedure to dig borewell in hilly areas is to obtain a no-objection certificate from Assistant Director, Mines, and permission from the Collector which is granted based on the genuineness of the application, after verifying documents of Pptta, chitta and adangal. “However, the Block Development Officer is required to visit and inspect the area where the borewell is being dug, which many officers don’t do, making it easy for people to dig more borewells than granted,” allege conservationists.

“Such indiscriminate digging of borewells will lead to depletion of resources of the already denuded mountains and over extraction of water,” they added.

A forest official from Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary said that the forest department does not have much powers to curb or check borewells dug in patta lands. “We can give only a way permit, which is a permit for the borewell vehicles to pass through the forest check post and forest road. In case of illegal borewells, we can only forward the issue to the Collector or Revenue Divisional Officer,” said the official.

“Direct action can be taken in the capacity of the District Forest Officer, only if a borewell is dug in a forest land. In settlement villages like Mattupattikadu in Oddanchatram range, we have stopped permission given to dig borewells, as the entire village is on forest land,” added the official.

Assistant Director, Mines, was unavailable for comments. However, Dindigul Collector M. Vijayalakshmi promised action if specific complaints are brought to her notice. “Complaints of illegal borewells will be looked into at the RDO level and necessary action will be taken and BDOs will be urged to visit and inspect the concerned specific area in the complaints,” she said.