Saving the precious – Assessing the India’s groundwater situation | 14th November 2022 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis

What's the article about?

• It talks about India's groundwater situation based on the recently released report by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Relevance:

• GS1: Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent)
• Prelims

What's the crux of the article?

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti released the “Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report” for the entire country for the year 2022.
• The assessment was carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and States/UTs, which can be used for taking suitable interventions by various stakeholders.
• Assessment indicates an increase in groundwater recharge.
  • total annual groundwater recharge = 437.60 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM)
  • Total annual groundwater extraction = 239.16 BCM
• Report suggests that groundwater extraction is the lowest since 2004, when it was 231 bcm.
• Out of total 7089 assessment units, 1006 units categorised as ‘Over-exploited’.
• About 87% of total annual groundwater extraction i.e 208.49 bcm is for irrigation use.
• Only 30.69 bcm (about 13 % of the total extraction) is for Domestic & Industrial use.

State wise Assessment:

• The groundwater extraction is very high in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu where it is more than 100%.
• The groundwater extraction is between 60-100% in the states of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and UTs of Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
• In the rest of the states, the groundwater extraction is below 60%.

Way Forward:

• Water ought not to be considered a free, private resource but one whose costs must be measured and borne equitably. While water remains a politically contentious subject in India, the climate crisis should inspire consensus across the political spectrum on disincentivizing the wasteful consumption of this precious resource.