The issuance of a No-Objection Certificate (NoC) by the Water Resources Department to Vedanta Limited (Cairn Oil and Gas Division) for drilling wells for the production of onshore oil and gas through hydraulic fracturing (fracking) process in Krishna district has raised concern among the villagers and environmental activists.
The department issued a G.O. on December 22, 2025, permitting the company to drill wells at 20 locations of Kaza Block in Movva and Guduru mandals of the district.
As per the G.O., while the company had sought permission for drilling wells in 35 locations, the Chief Engineer, Krishna Delta System, found that 15 of them were in close proximity to the irrigation canal and drainage network, and therefore, declined the request.
The locations approved for drilling wells were Nidumolu, Tarakathuru, Maddipatla, Kanchakoduru, Kaza, Avurupudi, Kalapatnam, Mukkollu, Pinagudurulanka, Guduru, Narikedalapalem, Rayavaram and Mallavolu.
As per the G.O., the company was not permitted to withdraw water from the Bandar Canal, reservoirs, KDS Canal, and it should also ensure that effluents did not enter the canal network.
