NGT calls for State response as study flags Chennai’s land subsidence risk

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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a announcement to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), seeking a elaborate study connected the increasing hazard of onshore subsidence successful Chennai. 

The tribunal’s involution follows concerns raised by a survey and media reports pointing to crushed ‘sinking’ successful respective Indian metropolitan cities, including Chennai.

The announcement was issued by the Principal Bench of the NGT aft taking suo motu cognisance of reports highlighting onshore subsidence linked to excessive groundwater extraction. Chennai is among 5 large cities, on with Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, identified arsenic being astatine hazard owed to sustained depletion of groundwater reserves.

A caller survey published successful the diary Nature Sustainability recovered that ample sections of municipality onshore successful these cities are sinking astatine measurable rates. In Chennai, subsidence has been observed successful low-lying floodplains and densely populated neighbourhoods specified arsenic Valasaravakkam, Kodambakkam, Alandur and Tondiarpet. Researchers attributed the improvement mostly to over-extraction of groundwater and ungraded compaction successful built-up areas.

In its order, the NGT directed the TNPCB to taxable information connected groundwater extraction, recharge measures and regulatory enforcement. The tribunal observed that unchecked groundwater usage could interruption provisions of biology and h2o extortion laws and stressed the request for coordinated enactment by municipality readying and h2o absorption authorities.

The TNPCB is expected to record its effect incorporating caller technological findings and outlining steps taken to code groundwater accent and onshore subsidence successful the city.

Published - December 13, 2025 07:27 p.m. IST

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