Decline in Quantity and Quality of Ground water

  • August 5, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Decline in Quantity and Quality of Ground water

Subject: Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context: Analysis of water level data indicates that about 70% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water level whereas, about 30 % wells have registered decline in water level.

Concept:

  • The Availability of groundwater resource depends upon a number of factors like intensity & period of rainfall, geological strata of the area, number of existing recharge structures, extraction by consumers for various purposes like industrial applications, drinking/domestic purposes, irrigation practices including cropping pattern and crop intensity etc.

Status of Ground Water by CGWB

  • Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring the ground water levels and water quality throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells.
  • These studies indicate the occurrence of Fluoride, Arsenic, Nitrate, Iron and Heavy Metals beyond the BIS permissible limits in isolated pockets in certain parts of the country.
  • Analysis of water level data indicates that about 70% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water level whereas, about 30 % wells have registered decline in water level.
  • Further, it has been observed that nitrate contamination is mostly Anthropogenic and its spread has been noticed in some areas, particularly areas adjoining habitations. Further, nitrate contamination can also be caused by use of fertilizers.
  • As per Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) study, groundwater pollution is mostly Geogenic in nature and does not show significant change over the years.

Steps in Conservation of water bodies:

Census of Water Bodies: The Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the first Census of Water Bodies in convergence with the Sixth Minor Irrigation Census (reference year 2017-18) with the objective of developing a national database of all water bodies in the country.

Steps in Conservation of Water bodies:

  1. Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) was launched in 2019 in water stressed blocks of 256 districts which continued during the year 2021 (across entire country both rural and urban areas) also with the primary aim to effectively harvest the monsoon rainfall through creation of artificial recharge structures, watershed management, recharge and reuse structures, intensive afforestation and awareness generation etc..
  2. Amrit Sarovar Mission launched on 24thApril 2022 is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.
  3. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme: Rejuvenation of water bodies is also a component under water supply sector of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme under Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. AMRUT 2.0, launched in October, 2021.
  4. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain” (JSA:CTR) campaign: Focused interventions under these annual campaigns taken up by the Government of India and the State Governments, include renovation of traditional and other water bodies, enumeration, geo-tagging and making inventory of all water bodies, and removal of encroachments, and de-silting of tanks, and protection of water catchment area.
  5. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) has provisions for public works relating to natural resource management, water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment and improve ground water like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and roof top rain water harvesting structures in public buildings.

Steps taken to manage/control groundwater extraction by various users including irrigation: “Linking of crop pattern with ground water Availability”

  1. ‘Sahi Fasal’campaign:
  • It was launched by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation on 2019 to nudge farmers in the water stressed areas to grow crops which are economically remunerative, healthy & nutritious, suited to the agro-climatic-hydro characteristics of the area, environmentally friendly and are not water intensive.
  • Creating awareness among farmers on appropriate crops, micro-irrigation, soil moisture conservation, weaning them away from water intensive crops to crops requiring less water, assisting policy makers to frame policies etc are some of the key elements of the campaign.
  1. National Aquifer Mapping Program (NAQUIM):
  • It is implemented by CGWB with an aim to identify the groundwater aquifer system along-with their characterization for its sustainable management.
  • Out of the total mappable area of nearly 25 lakh sq km, nearly 10 lakh sq km of the area (as on 30th June 2022) in the country has been covered. The balance area has been targeted to be covered by March 2023.
  1. Atal Bhujal Yojana:
  • It is implemented by the central government with an outlay of 6,000 crore, in collaboration with States, in certain water stressed areas of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  • The primary aim of the scheme is demand side management including implementation of crop rotation/diversification, changing crop pattern, use of sprinklers/drip irrigation system etc by involving the local communities at village levels leading to sustainable groundwater management in the targeted areas.
  1. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Government of India is providing financial assistance to the States under Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) – Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP).
  2. The National Water Policy (NWP) – 2012 states that water saving in irrigation use is of paramount importance. It further states methods like aligning cropping pattern with natural resource endowments, micro irrigation (drip, sprinkler, etc.), automated irrigation operation, evaporation-transpiration reduction etc., should be encouraged and incentivized.

Other:

  • Water is a State subject and several States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/harvesting such as ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan’ in Rajasthan, ‘JalyuktShibar’ in Maharashtra, ‘SujalamSufalam Abhiyan’ in Gujarat, ‘Mission Kakatiya’ in Telangana, NeeruChettu’ in Andhra Pradesh, Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, ‘Jal Hi Jeevan’ in Haryana, and Kudimaramath scheme in Tamil Nadu.
  • However, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) is implementing the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in the country to prevent and control pollution in water.
Decline in Quantity and Quality of Ground water Geography