The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to identify industries and institutions drawing water from Tamirabharani.
| Photo Credit: File photo
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to the State government on a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the authorities to revise and rationalise water tariff, recover water tax arrears and utilise it for protection, restoration and rejuvenation of Tamirabharani river.
A Division Bench of Justices G. R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi was hearing a petition filed by S. Kamaraj alias Muthalankurichi Kamaraj of Seydunganallur of Thoothukudi district.
The petitioner said several industries were established in SIPCOT industrial estates at Gangaikondan and Thoothukudi. Enormous quantities of water were drawn from the river for commercial purposes. Despite such high volume extraction, the tariff remains frozen at ₹1.50 per 1,000 litres, as per a G.O. issued in 1998.
No revision has been attempted even after significant inflation, intensified industrialisation and rapidly mounting ecological stress. This stagnant pricing regime violated the user-pays principle and results in unjustified subsidisation of private profit at the cost of environmental deterioration, he said.
These industries continue to extract water without fulfilling their tax obligations, leading to substantial pending dues that hinder effective resource management. The lack of an effective monitoring system has resulted in difficulties in tracking water usage and ensuring compliance with tax payments. The existing tax rates were established years ago and have not been adjusted to reflect inflation, he said.
The cumulative arrears amounting to over ₹250 crore deprived the State of crucial funds that could be used for desilting, flood management, pollution control and ecological restoration of the Tamirabharani basin. The inaction also burdens the common man who pays for drinking water while large industries exploit the same river at a fraction of the cost or without payment altogether, he said.
He sought a direction to the authorities to prepare and publish a comprehensive report of all the industrial and institutional units drawing water from Tamirabharani river, indicating their tariff category, quantity drawn and tax arrears and submit a report to the court
He sought a direction to the authorities to identify the industries and institutions drawing water or occupying portions of the river, consider them as encroachers and remove the encroachments.
He also sought a direction to the authorities to revise and rationalise the water tariff fixed by the Public Works Department and ensure that the recovered amounts were utilised exclusively for the protection, restoration, and rejuvenation of Thamirabarani river. The court posted the matter for hearing to December 4.
Published – November 20, 2025 08:26 pm IST
