Pre-monsoon data shows water level dipped in 65% wells: Govt

The data collected by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) before the onset of the monsoon this year shows that the groundwater level had declined in 65 percent of the wells surveyed, the government said today.

"Groundwater monitoring data of CGWB for pre-monsoon 2016, when compared to the decadal mean of pre-monsoon from 2006 to 2015, indicates that out of the total wells analysed in various parts of the country, around 65 percent are showing a decline in the groundwater level," Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Balyan said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

However, the minister did not specify how many wells were surveyed by the government.

In reply to another question, Balyan said that according to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the country witnessed a shortage of drinking water due to "less rainfall" in many parts over the last two years that led to a drop in the groundwater table.

"As most of the rural drinking water supply schemes are based on ground water sources, this has resulted in failure of many such schemes.

"In addition, the water level in major storage reservoirs in the country has decreased due to inadequate rain and this has compounded the problem," he said.

To deal with the situation, the government has prepared a "master plan for artificial recharge of ground water in India" which envisages construction of different types of artificial recharge and rainwater harvesting structures, he said.

The government is focusing on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme for construction of water conservation and harvesting structures.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has also advised the states to adopt water conservation measures like rooftop rainwater harvesting and erecting sustainability strictures," Balyan said.

"Ten percent of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme fund is provided to the states for building such sustainability structures," he said.

Other steps taken by the Ministry include implementing Jal Kranti Abhiyan which aims at consolidating water conservation and management through a holistic approach, conducting aquifer mapping, among others.