The Madurai district administration has officially approved the free removal of clay and silt (alluvial soil) from desilted waterbodies across the district for the financial years 2024–2025 and 2025–2026.

The permission applies to designated waterbodies currently maintained by the Water Resources Department and the Rural Development Department.

According to a press statement, excavation permissions have been cleared for tanks and lakes spread across 11 taluks.

A total of hundreds of local water resources have been opened up for removal. The breakdown of permitted waterbodies per taluk is - Melur - 270; Madurai East - 126; Usilampatti - 83; Madurai North - 75; Peraiyur - 73; Thirumangalam - 63; Vadipatti - 49; Kallikudi - 47; Thirupparankundram - 20; Madurai West -12 and Madurai South - 6.

To ensure ecological balance and fair distribution, the administration has capped the volume of silt and clay that can be legally extracted.

For agricultural land enrichment, farmers can avail of this benefit once every two years based on their land type: Wetlands (Nanjai) - Maximum of 75 cubic meters per acre; Drylands (Punjai): Maximum of 90 cubic meters per acre; For traditional artisans engaged in pottery making, the permissible limit has been capped at a maximum of 60 cubic meters.

The district administration has emphasised that the entire process is completely free of charge. Eligible farmers and potters looking to extract soil must submit their applications along with the necessary land and identity documents online through the official state e-sevai portal at www.tnesevai.tn.gov.in.