Depleting groundwater levels

Now, everyone in India understands that we have a serious water crisis. Too many of our rivers are polluted, dammed, or dying. Rainfall is becoming increasingly erratic, and expected to become more so. Our groundwater is depleting fast. Our lakes are drying up or filling with sewage, especially in urban centres. Our water and sanitation infrastructure is old and creaking in many places and does not even exist in others. Agriculture, industry and urban settlements all compete for the same scarce resource. It is no longer a problem that can be discussed without remedy. Rich or poor, it affects us all, here and now.

But if we had to choose one area for immediate attention, it would have to be groundwater. Groundwater is fuelling much of India's growth in rural and urban areas. This has resulted in severe scarcity and quality issues, especially in these high growth areas

India has always been a groundwater civilisation. For thousands of years, different regions had the most aesthetically designed, functional open wells that tapped into the shallow aquifers.The coming of the deep rigs and the borewells in the 1970s completely changed the way India used its groundwater reserves.

India is now the largest user of groundwater in the world. We draw more groundwater than two giant economies-USA and China. We have approximately 30 million wells, including the new borewells and the old open wells, drawing 250 cubic km of water. Groundwater now contributes to about 85 per cent of India's drinking water security, 60 per cent of its agricultural requirements and 50 per cent of urban water needs.

The big irony is that despite this reality, much of India's public investments have gone into surface water-dams and canals for irrigation, huge pipelines for drinking water.

Overwhelmed by the arrival of a new technology that allowed rapid scale-up, the government's response has been slow.

Water is a state subject in India. Administration at the Centre as well as in the states has tried but failed to fully resolve the questions of who really owns the groundwater, how it should be mapped, extracted and replenished.

So, through ignorance and with impunity, farmers, governments, industry and ordinary citizens have drilled deeper, and just about anywhere with frightening results. Sixty per cent of India's districts have serious issues of either depletion or pollution.

At the same time, poor sanitary practices have led to faecal contamination. Millions defecate in the open, and millions of others unknowingly contaminate groundwater through leaching from toilet pits.

As a society, we are now faced with tough choices. It is worth betting big on groundwater, which can actually lead us to water security. And we can become a mature groundwater civilisation. Again.

We need to join hands,come together and fight for good.And try to resolve the water disputes which the government has failed to do.
Only then our society will overcome the problem of water scarcity.
We all should try to contribute a little towards it on our level.It will create a change
and
Intiative by us
Can change
India's future

Inspiring India