Tamil Nadu: PMK founder Ramadoss has expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of water resources in Tamil Nadu and urged the state government to take immediate action. In a statement issued on Friday, he said that now is the right time to save and revive the state’s water resources, as if steps are not taken now, a serious water crisis could arise in the future.
Ramadoss, citing a survey by the Union Ministry of Water Resources, stated that a large number of water bodies in Tamil Nadu are in poor condition. According to him, approximately 50,197 water bodies are currently unusable, representing approximately 46.9 percent of the total water bodies. Furthermore, many water bodies have become completely inactive. He stated that this situation could pose a serious challenge to the state’s water security and future needs.
He also noted in his statement that a total of 106,957 water bodies in the state are either unusable or in extremely poor condition. This is negatively impacting groundwater levels and water storage capacity. The water crisis in both rural and urban areas could worsen in the coming years.
Ramdas urged the government to utilize the current summer season to revitalize water bodies. He stated that cleaning, removing encroachments, and deepening ponds, lakes, and other water sources should be prioritized during this period. According to him, if these water sources are not revived in time, the full benefits of water harvesting will not be realized even during the monsoon.
He particularly emphasized the need to rehabilitate over 50,000 unused water bodies on a war footing. Ramdas stated that by deepening and cleaning these water sources, they can be made usable again, which will improve rainwater harvesting and significantly alleviate the water crisis in rural areas.
He also questioned the condition of the 14,141 large irrigation lakes in the state. He stated that the condition of these lakes is not satisfactory and that adequate attention is not being paid to their maintenance. Thousands of small water sources in rural areas are also neglected, affecting both agriculture and drinking water.
Ramadas also demanded that the Water Management Fund (2026-27) created for water management be utilized on the ground, not limited to paper plans. He suggested that this fund be prioritized for the restoration and conservation of village water sources.
He stated that water conservation is not just a government responsibility, but needs to be promoted as a mass movement. If effective steps are taken now, Tamil Nadu can be saved from water crisis in the coming years.
