The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources held a meeting to discuss Tamil Nadu’s water resources in Udhagamandalam on Monday (August 31). 

A press release from the district administration said the meeting was presided over by Committee Chairman and Member of Parliament Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

The committee discussed matters relating to the planning and design of Tamil Nadu’s water resources infrastructure; implementation and monitoring of projects and schemes; and organisations concerned. Challenges such as the State’s depleting groundwater levels, water quality, water pollution, water security and effectiveness of sustainable water management strategies were also discussed. “In addition, the Committee undertook a detailed examination of water-security challenges and strategies, including variables such as climate change, temperature, population and water scarcity,” a press release said. 

Speaking at the event, Mr. Rudy said the committee was among the 24 department-related standing committees formed to examine matters covering subjects such as agriculture, animal husbandry, defence, energy and finance.

“Among these, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources has been constituted for the implementation of water-resource-related schemes, equitable distribution of water and sustainable resource management. It is an important committee that examines, on behalf of Parliament, the policies, schemes and activities of the government relating to the management of the country’s water resources,” he said. 

He said the schemes being provided by the government for water resources should be implemented in full. Also present at the meeting was the Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru and Prashant M. Vadnere, Secretary, the Water Resources Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.