According to a report, the entire northwestern region of India is anticipated to face critically low groundwater availability by 2025.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently took suo motu cognisance of a report highlighting depleting groundwater levels in India.
The case was initiated based on an article published in Hindustan Times titled ‘UN predicts groundwater level in India will reduce to ‘low’ by 2025.’
Recognizing the seriousness of the issue, the NGT has sought the response of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as well as the water resources departments in 19 states and 2 union territories.
According to the UN’s findings, certain areas in the Indo-Gangetic basin in India have already surpassed the groundwater depletion tipping point, and the entire northwestern region is anticipated to face critically low groundwater availability by 2025.
The report revealed that India is the world’s largest consumer of groundwater, surpassing the combined usage of the United States and China.
The northwestern region of India, crucial as the breadbasket for the nation’s burgeoning 1.4 billion people, sees Punjab and Haryana producing 50 per cent of the country’s rice supply and 85 per cent of its wheat stocks.
Pertinently, the report highlighted that 78 per cent of wells in Punjab are considered overexploited, and that the northwestern region as a whole is projected to encounter critically low groundwater availability by 2025.
Photo Credit: SANDRP
Based on the report, a coram of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel observed that a serious issue relating to environment had been raised.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), in response, submitted a report stating that the government has implemented measures encompassing all the recommended actions outlined in the UN University report to enhance the groundwater situation in the country.
However, the NGT noted that the CGWB’s Annual Report of 2022 portrayed a significantly different picture compared to the one presented before the Tribunal.
The NGT recorded that the CGWB’s report showed over-extraction in several areas, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where prevailing arid climatic conditions resulted in low groundwater recharge.
In the peninsular area, the NGT observed that over-exploited units are widespread in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Furthermore, the NGT noted that the CGWB report suggests conducting more experimental studies to refine norms, taking into consideration factors such as irrigation, soil types, agro-climatic zones, recharge from water conservation and from water bodies.
Vardhman Envirotech
India’s Passionate rainwater company
This article is published on: Bar and Bench, 28 November, 2023
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