G.O. Ms. No. 257, Categorisation of Revenue Firkas, 2018
The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department issued Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257, Public Works (R2), dated 1 October 2018, approving the March 2013 assessment and classification of Revenue Firkas by groundwater condition. It updates the earlier March 2011 firka assessment by classifying firkas as Over Exploited, Critical, Semi Critical, Safe or Saline/Poor Quality, and directs groundwater recharge measures across all categories.
What the document does
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257, Public Works (R2), dated 1 October 2018, approves the estimation of Tamil Nadu's dynamic groundwater resources as at March 2013. The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department published the approved Revenue Firka classifications in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on 24 October 2018.
The annexure organises firkas by district and taluk and places each firka in a groundwater category. The operative directions concern groundwater assessment and recharge, rather than ownership, title or registration of land.
Groundwater categories
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 uses the following categories:
- Over Exploited, groundwater extraction greater than 100 per cent.
- Critical, groundwater extraction between 90 and 100 per cent.
- Semi Critical, groundwater extraction between 70 and 90 per cent.
- Safe, groundwater extraction less than 70 per cent.
- Saline/Poor Quality, for firkas identified by groundwater quality.
The annexure covers Revenue Firkas and identifies their district and taluk. The supplied extract includes entries from Ariyalur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode and Kancheepuram.
Who may be affected
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 is relevant to owners, buyers, developers, industries and public bodies proposing activities that depend on groundwater. They may need to identify the Revenue Firka containing the property and check its category in the annexure.
The background to Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 records earlier controls on groundwater based schemes. Earlier government orders barred schemes in Over Exploited and Critical areas, required consultation or groundwater clearance in other categories, and established regulations for No Objection Certificates or licences. The 2018 order itself approves the updated firka classification and does not separately reproduce those procedures.
Recharge measures
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 directs the Chief Engineer, State Ground and Surface Water Resources Data Centre, Water Resources Department, to carry out appropriate rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge schemes in Over Exploited, Critical, Semi Critical, Safe and Saline/Poor Quality firkas.
Priority must be given to marginal quality and bad quality areas to prevent further deterioration.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does this classification change ownership or title to my land?
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 deals with groundwater assessment, firka classification and recharge measures. It does not state that the classification changes land ownership or title.
How can I check the groundwater category of a property?
Identify the Revenue Firka and taluk in which the property is located, then check the district and taluk entries in the annexure to Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257.
Does an Over Exploited or Critical classification automatically prohibit every use of groundwater?
Government Order G.O. Ms. No. 257 approves the updated classification but does not set out a new blanket prohibition. Its background records earlier restrictions on groundwater based schemes and earlier procedures for No Objection Certificates and licences.
Are rainwater harvesting measures limited to Over Exploited firkas?
No. The direction covers Over Exploited, Critical, Semi Critical, Safe and Saline/Poor Quality firkas, with priority for marginal quality and bad quality areas.
