GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

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Picture Courtesy:  THE HINDU

Context

According to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), nearly 20% of ground water samples contained pollutants that exceeded permissible limits, increasing the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, neurological disorders, and kidney damage.

What are the Key Highlights of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) Report?

Groundwater faces contamination from both natural (geogenic) and human-induced (anthropogenic) sources, impacting its potability and agricultural use.

Nitrate Contamination: Over half of India's districts exceed the safe limit, driven by agricultural runoff and overuse of fertilizers.

Fluoride Contamination: Over 9% of samples, causing joint pain, stiffness, and dental deformities. Areas with high levels include Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Arsenic Contamination: Parts of Punjab and Bihar show arsenic levels exceeding WHO limits, increasing the risk of cancer and neurological disorders.   

Uranium Contamination: High levels in parts of Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, linked to phosphate fertilizers and groundwater withdrawal. High uranium levels can cause kidney damage and cancer.

Other Contaminants: High levels of iron, contributing to gastrointestinal and developmental disorders. Trace metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium contaminate groundwater, with potential carcinogenic properties.

Groundwater Status in India

According to the World Bank, India is the world's largest user of groundwater, consuming more than the combined usage of the United States and China.

Extraction and Availability: According to Central Groundwater Board (CGWB), contribution of groundwater is nearly 62% in irrigation, 85% in rural water supply and 45% in urban water supply.  

Declining Water Levels: Groundwater extraction increasing from 58% to 63% between 2004 and 2017, surpassing the recharge rate.

Over-exploited Regions:  Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Western Uttar Pradesh in the northwest, and arid regions in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Contamination Concerns: From industrial and household chemicals, landfills, agriculture, wastewater, and saline intrusion.

Factors Responsible for Groundwater Depletion and Contamination

Causes of groundwater depletion

• Over-extraction for irrigation: Water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane, coupled with government subsidies on electricity and high Minimum Support Price (MSP) for certain crops, incentivize excessive pumping, particularly in states like Punjab and Haryana.
• Urbanization & Population Growth: Cities expanding over natural recharge zones (like wetlands).
• Climate Change: Erratic rainfall patterns, reduced recharge, and increased evapotranspiration due to rising temperature, threatening food security.
• Inefficient Water Management: Poor infrastructure, leaking pipes, and lack of regulation on borewells.

Causes of groundwater contamination

• Agricultural Runoff: Excessive use of nitrogen-based fertilizers like urea contaminates groundwater with nitrates, affecting over 56% of districts and causing "blue baby syndrome" in infants.
• Industrial Effluents: Untreated industrial discharges release heavy metals like lead, mercury, and chromium into groundwater, causing health issues such as Itai Itai and Minamata disease.
• Salinity in Coastal Area: Over-pumping and rising sea levels cause saltwater to overrun into freshwater aquifers in coastal regions.  
  • A report by the CGWB revealed that 85% of Gujarat's districts are affected by groundwater salinity.
• Natural Geological Formations: Certain geological formations naturally release contaminants like arsenic, fluoride, and uranium into groundwater.
• Inadequate Waste Disposal and Sanitation: Untreated urban wastewater and leaking septic systems introduce pathogens and other pollutants into groundwater. 

Government initiatives & policy interventions for groundwater management  

Atal Bhujal Yojana: Central Sector Scheme, launched in 2019, promotes community participation and demand-side management in 80 water-stressed districts.

• Budget of ₹6000 crore, shared equally between Government and World Bank.
• It received the SKOCH Award 2023 for its approach.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA): Launched in 2019, focuses on water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and awareness generation.

• The 2024 campaign, themed "Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti," highlights women's role in water conservation.
• Over 1.14 crore water harvesting and recharge works completed through coordination by August 2025.

National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM): Maps and characterizes aquifers, and develops management plans with community participation.

Master Plan for Artificial Recharge (2020): Prepared by CGWB, this plan outlines the construction of 1.42 crore artificial recharge structures across the country.  

Amrit Sarovar Mission: Launched in April 2022, to construct or rejuvenate at least 75 water bodies (Amrit Sarovars) in each district.

• Each Amrit Sarovar is designed to have a pondage area of at least 1 acre.
• As of March 2025, over 68,000 Sarovars have been completed.

'Per Drop More Crop' (PDMC) under PMKSY: Promotes micro-irrigation systems, like drip and sprinkler irrigation, to increase water-use efficiency at the farm level.

National Water Policy and New Water Act Rule: Integrated water resources management, river basin approach, addressing water quality, demand management, and the ecological needs of rivers.

Model Bill for Groundwater Legislation: To curb indiscriminate groundwater extraction and promote rainwater harvesting. 

Strategies for Effective Groundwater Management in India

Demand-side management

• Promote Water-Efficient Agriculture: Shift to less water-intensive crops through government schemes like Minimum Support Price (MSP) and PM fasal Bima Yojana.
• Encourage Micro-Irrigation: Promoting drip and sprinkler systems can improve water efficiency in agriculture, with government subsidies available through the PMKSY scheme.
• Manage Groundwater Demand: Community-based initiatives like the Atal Bhujal Yojana focus on water budgeting in water-stressed areas.
• Regulate Groundwater Extraction: Strengthening regulations and enforce extraction limits, especially in overexploited regions.
• Review Electricity Subsidies: Introduce metered connections and linking subsidies to efficient water use, as seen in Gujarat's Jyotigram Yojana, can promote responsible consumption. 

Supply-side management and quality improvement

• Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge: Expand rainwater harvesting in urban and rural areas, under Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Amrit Sarovar Mission.
  • Using biochar from agricultural waste in recharge systems filters contaminants like heavy metals and nitrates, improving water quality.  
• Aquifer Mapping and Management: Using tools like the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM) aids in mapping aquifers and developing location-specific management plans.
  • Use AI and IoT technologies to enhance aquifer mapping and management.
  • Storing surplus water in aquifers during wet periods, near river basins with monsoon runoff, to use during dry times.
  • Combining Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) with Solar Desalination treats brackish water for aquifer recharge, especially in coastal areas.
• Addressing Contamination: Implementing stricter regulations on industrial and urban wastewater discharge.  
  • Use specific plants like water hyacinth to absorb contaminants helps clean polluted groundwater.

Governance and capacity building

• Enact a National Framework Law for Groundwater Management: Currently, Groundwater management lacks a comprehensive, uniform legal framework at the national level.  
  • Amend the outdated legal framework, such as the Indian Easements Act, 1882, granting landowners unlimited rights to extract groundwater.
  • Strengthen the enforcement of existing laws like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to curb industrial and urban pollution of groundwater.
• Strengthen Institutions and Regulations: Making groundwater data publicly accessible increases awareness and participation in management efforts. Platforms like the Atal Jal mobile app facilitate this. 
  • More regulatory power to CGWA to ensure effective enforcement of its guidelines. 
  • Empower local bodies, like Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), to manage groundwater at the community level.

Conclusion

India needs to adopt a multi-faceted and integrated approach, combining robust policy frameworks, technological innovation, and active community participation, to ensure sustainable water management and water security for all.

Source: THE HINDU