{"id":36752,"date":"2023-09-06T13:11:40","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T07:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&p=36752"},"modified":"2023-09-07T13:11:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T07:41:52","slug":"india-will-be-losing-groundwater-three-times-faster-in-2041-2080","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/india-will-be-losing-groundwater-three-times-faster-in-2041-2080","title":{"rendered":"India Will Be Losing Groundwater Three Times Faster in 2041-2080"},"content":{"rendered":"
Context:<\/b><\/p>\n
According to a recent research published in Science Advances, groundwater depletion in India is projected to triple between 2041 and 2080 due to the effects of global warming.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Present Groundwater Status in India:<\/b><\/p>\n
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India, <\/b>with <\/span>18% of the world’s population, consumes 4% of global water resources.<\/b><\/li>\n
Largest groundwater user globally.<\/span><\/li>\n
Groundwater contributes to<\/span> 62% of agriculture, 85% of rural water supply<\/b>, and<\/span> 50% of urban water supply.<\/b><\/li>\n
Over Extraction could endanger<\/span> 60% of India’s aquifers and threaten 80% of drinking water in the next two decades.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
More about the News:<\/b><\/p>\n
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Groundwater Level Decline:<\/b> Estimated groundwater level decline from <\/span>2041 to 2080 is 3.26 <\/b>times the current rate.Variation exists, ranging from <\/span>1.62 to 4.45 times <\/b>depending on climate models and RCP scenarios.<\/span><\/li>\n
Farmers’ Response to Climate Change:<\/b> Farmers rely more on groundwater as temperatures rise, intensifying resource depletion.<\/span>\n
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Over time, this reduces long-term irrigation capacity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Expanding Overexploitation of Aquifers:<\/b> Overexploitation may extend to southwest, south, and central India by 2050, posing challenges for hard rock aquifers.<\/span>\n
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Currently, overexploitation is concentrated in the northwest and south.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Challenges in Indian Groundwater Extraction:<\/b><\/p>\n
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Urban Growth Escalates Demand:<\/b> Rapid urbanisation strains water resources and waste management.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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The Central government has identified certain\u00a0 deliverables to achieve the goal of <\/span>sustainable groundwater management:<\/b><\/p>\n
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A reduction in groundwater extraction to <\/span>below 70%.<\/b><\/li>\n
Installing digital water <\/b>level recorders for <\/span>real-time monitoring<\/b>.<\/span><\/li>\n
Periodic monitoring of groundwater<\/b> quality.<\/span><\/li>\n
Aquifer mapping<\/b> and data dissemination.<\/span><\/li>\n
Urban Pollution Concerns:<\/b> Infiltration from roads and industries heightens urban groundwater pollution risks.<\/span><\/li>\n
Rainwater Harvesting Lag: D<\/b>espite heavy rainfall, inadequate rainwater harvesting worsens water scarcity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Steps to Rationalise Groundwater Use and Water Governance in India:<\/b><\/p>\n
Legislative Actions:<\/b><\/p>\n
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Model Groundwater (Sustainable Management) Bill, 2017:<\/b> Addresses key concerns, emphasising <\/span>environmental protection, decentralisation<\/b>, and <\/span>local committee formation<\/b> for groundwater management.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Key Initiatives:<\/b><\/p>\n
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Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY):<\/b> Encourages <\/span>behavioural change<\/b> through incentives.<\/span><\/li>\n
National Project on Aquifer Management (NAQUIM): <\/b>Aims to<\/span> map aquifers for data-driven decision-making.<\/b><\/li>\n
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Jal Jeevan Mission: Strives to provide rural households with safe drinking water by 2024.<\/b><\/li>\n
India-Groundwater Resource Estimation System (IN-GRES):<\/b> Enables annual dynamic groundwater assessments.<\/span><\/li>\n
Community Engagement: The Jal Shakti Abhiyan <\/b>fosters community participation through <\/span>asset creation, rainwater harvesting, and awareness campaigns.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Integration of Ministries: <\/b>The <\/span>Ministry of Jal Shakti’s<\/b> formation consolidated water-related ministries, enhancing water resource management with a focus on supply and demand.<\/span><\/li>\n
Indian Easement Act, 1882<\/b> grants landowners unlimited groundwater withdrawal rights. Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) formed in 1970 to develop groundwater policies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Other Action:<\/b><\/p>\n
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Adopt Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM): <\/b>Embrace the IWRM framework to coordinate development and management of water and land resources.<\/span><\/li>\n
Water-Sensitive Urban Planning: <\/b>Implement water-sensitive urban design and planning to manage groundwater, surface water, and rainwater effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n
Blue-Green Infrastructure Approach: <\/b>Utilise green and blue spaces like parks, wetlands, and rivers to rejuvenate water bodies and aquifers.<\/span><\/li>\n
Agricultural Policy Review: <\/b>Align cropping patterns with local agro-ecology.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n