A recent United Nations University report has sounded an alarming bell, highlighting that 27 out of 31 aquifers in India are experiencing rapid depletion due to over-extraction of groundwater.

Understanding Aquifers

Aquifers are subterranean layers of rock or sediment with the capacity to store and channel groundwater.
Essentially acting as natural reservoirs, they are vital for supplying freshwater to wells, springs, and other water sources.

Groundwater (GW) Status in India

India is the foremost user of Groundwater, constituting about a quarter of the global withdrawal.
A staggering 87% of the groundwater is directed towards irrigation.
At present, 67% of groundwater units in India are categorized as safe (where extraction is less than 70% of recharge). However, 14% are overexploited, and another 4% are teetering on the brink, being labelled as critical.
The states of Haryana, Punjab (where 78% of wells are overexploited), and Rajasthan are the prime culprits in excessive groundwater extraction.
Climate concerns further compound the issue. In southwest India, rising temperatures could impede the natural replenishment of groundwater.

Regulatory Landscape

Article 21: Enshrines the basic right to clean water within the right to life.
Central Ground Water Authority: Formed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, it is tasked with drafting policies and programs concerning groundwater.
Supreme Court (2004): It validated the ‘public trust doctrine,’ affirming groundwater as a communal asset, not a private property.
Government Initiatives: Includes the Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and the Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme, all dedicated to prudent groundwater management.
Indian Easement Act, 1882: Groundwater rights are traditionally tied to land ownership.
Central Ground Water Board: Founded in 1970, it too plays a role in shaping groundwater policies.
Model Groundwater Bills: Undergoing multiple revisions, these bills empower state boards to draft laws for water resources’ stewardship.
National Green Tribunal: It instructs the Central Ground Water Authority on groundwater extraction regulations and mandates prior authorization for the same.
Polluter Pays Principle: A mechanism where the offender is held financially accountable for groundwater pollution.

Initiatives

International:

UN-Water Summit on Groundwater 2022: Convened to spotlight groundwater preservation.
2022’s UN-Water campaign titled “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible”.

National:

Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan (2019): Targeted at 256 parched districts to ameliorate groundwater status.
Atal Bhujal Yojana: Introduced in 2019, this scheme prioritizes groundwater management.

Way Forward

Endorse crops like millet which are less thirsty.
Promote irrigation methods that curtail water wastage.
Deploy monitoring tools for borewells to foster judicious usage.
Disseminate real-time borewell statuses to underscore the urgency of conservation.
Forge innovative strategies for sustainable water resource management.
Delve into the nexus between power subsidies and rampant groundwater extraction, particularly in states like Punjab.

Groundwater Depletion in India