Farmers and owners of houses under construction have applied for permission to dig new borewells and flush existing ones to save standing crops and meet construction needs. Demand for new borewells has increased amid the El Nino effect.
Farmers have complained about delays by groundwater department staff in conducting feasibility surveys required to grant permission for digging new borewells or flushing existing ones.
They have urged the state government to deploy more staff to address water-related problems.
The groundwater department has received 254 applications since October for permission to dig new borewells under the WALTA Act, 2002, in Adilabad district. Applicants have to pay a challan of `1,000 to seek a groundwater feasibility survey.
According to sources, senior district officials reportedly instructed the revenue and groundwater departments not to grant permissions after November 15, citing a sharp fall in groundwater levels following the prolonged dry spell.
Groundwater department staff are under pressure to conduct surveys as applications have come from different locations, making it difficult for a single field-level officer to cover all the areas. Staff said political leaders and others were also calling them and pressing for early surveys in agricultural fields and house sites belonging to their associates and acquaintances.
Farmers are seeking permission to dig new borewells to provide water to standing crops, including chana cultivated as a second crop. Field officers visit the locations mentioned in applications and conduct feasibility surveys before granting permission. However, the state government has imposed restrictions on digging new borewells in view of the El Nino effect.
The state government has been trying to strictly implement the WALTA Act over the past two months amid drought conditions attributed to El Nino, though the legislation was enacted in 2002.
Groundwater field officer A. Navaneeth is conducting feasibility surveys at locations mentioned by applicants in Adilabad district.
Farmers said officials were taking up to 10 days to visit their agricultural fields or house sites for surveys. Shortage of staff was cited as the reason for the delay. The Adilabad groundwater department reportedly has only one field officer.
Borewell rig operators are also reluctant to dig new borewells or flush existing ones without permission from the revenue and groundwater departments.
Sajjan Govind Rao of Machapur village in Indravelli mandal said he had applied for a feasibility survey a few days ago and was waiting for the field officer to visit his agricultural land.
Akula Ramu of Pochara village in Adilabad mandal said he had been making rounds of the groundwater department office but had been unable to meet the staff. He said he had applied for a feasibility survey to dig a new borewell or flush an existing one to provide water to the chana crop cultivated on 14 acres.
He said the crop on seven acres was drying up because he could not provide water, while permission to flush the existing borewell was delayed.
Indiramma beneficiaries, building owners face water shortage
ADILABAD: Beneficiaries of Indiramma houses and owners of buildings under construction are facing difficulties in securing water for construction work and curing. Those planning to build houses are also facing problems in obtaining water.
Puli Santhosh of Mavala village said he had submitted an application seeking permission to dig a borewell to draw water for house construction.
He said the tahsildar had to grant permission based on the groundwater feasibility survey report, while the application had to be forwarded by the village secretary.
Adilabad district recorded a 36 per cent rainfall deficit over 46 days up to October 26, 2026, compared with a 35 per cent excess rainfall over 78 days up to October 26, 2025.
The district’s average depth to groundwater in October 2026 was 5.68 metres below ground level (m bgl), according to official data. The maximum depth of 12.60m bgl was recorded in Bhoraj village, while the minimum depth of 1.33m bgl was recorded in Narnoor in October 2026.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
