June 8, 2018
The Times of India
PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry ground water authority (GWA) on Friday sealed borewell which was illegally dug in a private property and seized the pumps and motors with police protection from the owner of the small piece of land. The officials of the authority took the action based on the direction of lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi.
Bedi received complaints that a man identified as S Krishnamoorthy from Kattukuppam dug a deep bore-well violating the ban and has been drawing water and selling water to Inox Air Limited at Kanniyakoil and industriesat Sipcot in Cuddalore district.
The complainants charged that the man has been drawing more than seven lakh litres of water per day and selling more than 20 tankers of water to the industries.
Bedi directed the GWA officials to probe into the complaints and take appropriate action. The officials during the course of inquiries found the complaints true. The man had sold his land barring a small strip where he dug the bore-well illegally. The officials successfully sought the police protection and sealed the unauthorized bore-well and seized the pumps and motors.
Bedi also directed the officials to undertake daily inspections to identify all unauthorized and unregistered bore-wells in prohibited coastal regions and submit a report furnishing the action initiated against the violators at the earliest.
“I have seen the site. It’s was being used to sell water. I am informed there are several other unregistered tube wells in the restricted zone,” she said.