Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday, July 8, 2024, launched the distribution of permission letters to farmers and potters to take clay and silt, free of cost from waterbodies under the control of various State Government departments.
Though farmers and potters were earlier allowed to take clay, silt and gravel from these waterbodies, the Tamil Nadu Government had recently amended rules to allow them to take only clay and silt. It had also revised the procedure for farmers and potters to get permission to take clay and silt.
As the storage capacity of waterbodies in the State has considerably reduced due to silting up over a period of time, allowing farmers and potters to take silt from these water bodies free of cost is expected to help in the restoration of these waterbodies.
The Natural Resources Department had, last month, issued orders to simplify the process by delegating powers vested with District Collector to the Tahsildars of concerned jurisdictions, to provide for granting a longer period i.e., 30 days for removal of clay and silt.
Minister for Water Resources, Duraimurugan, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena and senior officials were present on the occasion during the event at the Secretariat in Chennai.
