Southern Zonal Council meet: Puducherry L-G seeks support of Centre, Tamil Nadu to implement water supply plan

Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan has sought the support of the Central government and neighbouring Tamil Nadu for the Puducherry government’s effort to develop an Integrated Surface Water Resource System for ensuring uninterrupted supply of potable water to the people.

Speaking at the 31^st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu on Thursday (August 20, 2026), the Lieutenant Governor said the support of the Central government and neighbouring States, especially Tamil Nadu, was crucial for the territorial administration’s effort to develop the Integrated Surface Water Resource System plan.

“The UT of Puducherry, having no surface water resources of its own, meets its requirement through groundwater. The TDS levels in some areas are more than 3,000 ppm. The levels of iron and nitrates are unsustainably high. Our vision is to develop an Integrated Surface Water Resource System in order to ensure sustainable and reliable supply throughout the year,” the Lt. Governor said in his speech, a copy of which was released to the media here.

The Lt. Governor requested the Council to consider linking the Sankarabarani-South Pennaiyar Rivers with the proposed Godavari link. For the purpose of linking the rivers, Puducherry should be included in the National Water Development Agency’s proposed project plans, he added.

Drawing the attention of the Council to the water needs of Puducherry, the Lt. Governor said an agreement was first reached in 1910 to release water from Sathanur Dam to Puducherry. The agreement was subsequently renewed in 1969, 1976, and 2007, providing for the regulated release of water from Bangaru Canal from Sornavur Anicut only for two months during the monsoon period.

The territorial administration was interested in laying a dedicated pipeline from Sathanur Dam to Puducherry to meet the drinking water needs of the UT. A joint working group comprising senior officers of the Government of India, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry could be constituted for implementing the programme, he said.

“Also, the Karaikal region of the UT is entitled to get 7 TMC of Cauvery water annually. The region is the dead end of the Cauvery basin. Mostly, we receive the quantity of water only during the rainy season. We are preparing a Detailed Project Report with the assistance of the National Institute of Technology, Karaikal, for storing excess Cauvery water received during the monsoon period. I kindly request the Centre to extend necessary technical, administrative, and financial support for implementing this important step to provide storage for excess Cauvery water,” the Lt. Governor said.

The Puducherry government also proposed to link the Pennaiyar and Sankarabarani rivers, which pass through Puducherry, for diverting excess water to lakes for drinking water, irrigation, and groundwater recharging, he said.

The Lt. Governor thanked the Central government for giving approval to Puducherry’s proposal for drawing funds from the ADB, the World Bank, and the ADF of the French government. The availing of funds from these multilateral agencies would help Puducherry improve infrastructure in terms of power, drinking water, wastewater treatment, road connectivity, and tourism projects, the Lt. Governor said.