The groundwater crisis continues to deepen in the agrarian state of Haryana with annual water level decline reported in about 58 percent wells covering all 22 districts of the state.
“The annual analysis of water level showed groundwater level decline in 58 percent of wells monitored post monsoon (October month) from 2019-2020.
This covers 62 percent of the area covering all districts in the state,” according to the latest report of the Central Ground Water Board.
The annual water level decline of 0-2m was recorded in 49 percent of wells and 46 percent of area in all districts of the state in one year while decline of 2-4m was recorded in 5 percent of wells and 8 percent of the state's area.
The groundwater level decline of more than 4m was recorded in four percent of wells and eight percent of area of the state at isolated patches in Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Jind, Sirsa, Gurugram, Mewat, Jhajjar, Rewari, Panipat and Faridabad districts, the report stated.
As per the CGWB report, 330 wells monitored reported decline in water level between 0-2m, 31 wells from 2-4m and 25 wells more than 4m.
The rise in water level from 0-2m was observed in 238 wells, 2-4m in 31 wells and more than 4m in 14 wells in the state in post monsoon annual analysis.
The rise in groundwater level of more than 4 m was observed in only two percent of wells and two percent of area of the state at isolated patches in Panipat, Faridabad and Palwal districts.
The report further pointed out that the decadal analysis from January 2011-2021 also showed water level decline in 58 percent of wells which covers about 66 percent area of the state falling in 22 districts.
The decadal groundwater level decline of more than 4m was observed in 10 percent wells and 14 percent of the area of state covering parts of Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh, Rewari and Gurugram districts.
The decadal water level fluctuations also observed a rise in 42 percent of wells in the state.
However, water level rise of more than 4m in a decade was observed in only one percent wells in the state at isolated patches in Sirsa, Kaithal and Sonipat districts.
As of March 2021, there were 1331 groundwater observation wells in the state, according to the report.
Notably, Haryana Water Resources Authority alongwith Irrigation, Agriculture, Horticulture, Forest and Fisheries departments and other concerned departments is working towards preparing an action plan to deal with the problem of depleting ground water level in the state.