Srikakulam district administration in Andhra Pradesh imposed a ban on new borewells in 67 villages which come under five mandals of Laveru, Ranasthalam, Etcherla, Pondu and G.Sigadam where groundwater was exploited indiscriminately in the last few years.
Beyond News
Farmers and others will not be given permission for new borewells with the implementation of ban under the Water, Land and Tree Act-2002
Several major panchayats were affected in Ranasthalam mandal. The ban assumed significance in Pydibhimavaram which is the hub for industries in Srikakulam.
Other prominent villages have also come up in red zone where water levels have fallen below 100 feet.
Srikakulam Groundwater Department, which conducted a detailed survey recently, has observed that the situation was very bad in Laveru and Ranasthalam mandals where the groundwater table depleted significantly.
Many industries located in the mandal are also reportedly exploiting the water beyond the stipulated limit, according to sources.