Groundwater Crisis of India : The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti recently released the Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2024, prepared by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

This comprehensive report sheds light on the state of India’s groundwater resources, their quality, usage trends, and challenges, while emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable management practices.

Key Findings of the Report Groundwater Quality Trends:

Positive Indicators:

81% of groundwater samples are suitable for irrigation.

100% of groundwater samples in North-Eastern states were rated as excellent for agriculture.

Contamination Concerns:

• Regions show contamination by nitrates, fluoride, and arsenic, posing health risks.

Seasonal Trends:

• Post-monsoon recharge improves groundwater quality in many regions.

Agricultural Suitability:

• Favorable levels of Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) enhance irrigation potential.
• However, high sodium content in some regions could lead to soil degradation, necessitating targeted interventions.

Challenges to Groundwater Sustainability

Over-Extraction: India is the world’s largest extractor of groundwater, accounting for 25% of global withdrawals.

256 out of 700 districts are classified as critical or overexploited.

Agricultural Dependency: Unsustainable agricultural practices contribute significantly to groundwater depletion, with traditional crops demanding excessive water.

Projected Groundwater Crisis: By 2030, 21 Indian cities are expected to exhaust their groundwater reserves.

Climate Change: Erratic monsoons, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and population growth exacerbate groundwater stress.

Policy Gaps: Inefficiencies in implementation and lack of stringent regulations continue to hinder groundwater management.

Government Initiatives – Groundwater Crisis of India

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY): Focuses on water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 80 districts across seven states.

Emphasizes community-led water management, including:

Water budgeting

• Rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge.
• Encouraging water-efficient cropping patterns.

Rainwater Harvesting: Promoted through various state-level programs and urban regulations.

• Examples:
  • Rooftop harvesting in Tamil Nadu.
  • Large-scale recharge structures in Gujarat.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain (5th Phase): Encourages rainwater harvesting and water conservation in both rural and urban districts.

Participatory Groundwater Management (PGWM): Encourages local governance, collaboration between communities, and NGOs to monitor and conserve groundwater.

Technological Innovations: Adoption of GIS, remote sensing, and AI for mapping and predicting groundwater availability.

• Partnerships with ISRO for aquifer mapping and resource planning.

Community-Led Success Stories:

Rajasthan: NGOs like Tarun Bharat Sangh revived rivers and aquifers through traditional water harvesting techniques such as johads.

Maharashtra’s Pani Foundation: Mobilized villages to adopt watershed management, significantly improving groundwater levels.

Gujarat’s Jyotirgram Yojana: Separated electricity feeders for agriculture and domestic use, incentivizing judicious groundwater utilization.

Other Significant Programs

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): Expands irrigation coverage with a focus on water- use efficiency.

• Includes components like Har Khet Ko Pani and watershed development.

Mission Amrit Sarovar: Aims to create or rejuvenate 75 waterbodies per district to enhance rainwater harvesting.

National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM): Completed for over 25 lakh sq. km, aiding in recharge and conservation planning.

Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE): Promotes improved water use efficiency across sectors, including irrigation, power generation, and domestic water supply.

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