Groundwater depletion is taking place at an unsustainable rate. Years of extraction has caused the water table to drop abysmally. Government must promote combined use of groundwater along with surface water in agriculture
Groundwater that was once an abundant resource, is facing a bleak future. According to the Stockholm International Water Institute, about a fifth of the water used globally comes from under the ground. Water extraction rates are expected to increase by 50 per cent by 2025 in developing countries and by 18 per cent in developed countries. Times of acute water shortages coupled with conflicts over scarce resource do not seem far off.
As the world’s second most populous nation, India is already exerting enormous pressure on the available natural resources. Groundwater depletion is taking place at extremely unsustainable rate. All thanks to an insatiable demand driven by a burgeoning population and excessive extraction by industries and agriculture.
Nearly 85 per cent of India’s villages and half of its cities rely on wells for water. Farming accounts for about 90 per cent of the water withdrawals in India as irrigated acreage has almost tripled since 1950. At this rate, ground water resource may soon be the first casualty of a resource hungry nation.
lack of awareness and insipid replenishment practices have only sought to compound the problem. The Central Groundwater Board estimates show nearly 1,071 over exploited areas of which 217 areas have been categorised as being in critical state. Whereas, 697 areas have been deemed as semi-critical. This grave situation has spurred the Government to allocate `20.5 billion ($331 million) to map India’s aquifers by March 2017.
Years of exploitation and extraction of groundwater in India has caused the national water table to drop abysmally. Considering that 85 per cent of rural drinking water and 55 per cent of urban water comes from underground resources, further compromise with this precious resources is unaffordable. It is of utmost importance that the Government undertakes urgent measures.
According to a latest study by Utrecht University, Netherlands, almost a quarter of the world’s population is living in places where groundwater is being used far too quickly. This is a stark reality that India has to contend and ensure that replenishment of groundwater keeps pace with extraction.
Among other measures, the authorities and departments concerned must consider artificial groundwater re-charge measures in the short-term in order to rapidly bridge the gap between extraction and replenishment. A wide spectrum of techniques can be utilised for this purpose such as flooding, stream augmentation and over irrigation. In certain circumstances, injection wells or re-charge wells, recharge pits and shafts and bore hole flooding can deliver the desired impact. These measures coupled with rainwater harvesting schemes will help re-generate groundwater aquifers and contribute to a rise in the groundwater level and a reduction of salt-water ingress.
The Government must also realise that mere legislation and quality checks will not fulfill the objective of generating abundant and clean groundwater. In fact, legislation and regulations that are complimented by local community participation driven by awareness generation can have a far-reaching effect. Community awareness will also help keep a check on overuse patterns of groundwater and prevent pollution of the water table. Community outrage generated some years ago in Kerala over the excess usage of groundwater and pollution of the water table by a soft drink manufacturing company is an apt example.
Similarly the agriculture sector needs to be sensitised for responsible groundwater management. Interactions between agricultural irrigation, surface water and groundwater resources are often very close and unconstrained use is causing serious aquifer depletion and environmental degradation. An active cross-sector dialogue, integrated vision aided by clear policy guidance and focused local action are needed to promote sustainable groundwater management. This will help in better usage of groundwater reserves not only for agriculture but also for drought mitigation and climate-change adaptation.
In order to stimulate long-term sustainability, the Government must promote combined use of groundwater along with surface water in agriculture. This will help create a greater degree of water supply security and ensure better timing of irrigation-water delivery, as groundwater can be rapidly deployed to compensate for shortfalls in canal-water at critical times in crop-growth cycle. This will also have a positive impact on conservation of environment by counteracting land waterlogging and salinisation.
Only a multi-pronged strategy that is based on legislation, traditional water harvesting systems, and smart usage of market forces will alleviate groundwater crisis in India. Additionally, the integration of conservation and development activities from water extraction to water management at the local level; making communities aware and involving them fully is critical for success. All this will ultimately pave the way for combining conservation of environment with the fulfillment of the basic needs of the people.