India News | Groundwater Extraction: 1,114 Areas in 15 States, UTs Categorised 'over-exploited', Says Govt
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Out of 6,965 areas assessed for groundwater extraction across the country, 1,114 in 15 states and union territories have been categorised as "over-exploited", the government said on Monday.
New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI) Out of 6,965 areas assessed for groundwater extraction across the country, 1,114 in 15 states and union territories have been categorised as "over-exploited", the government said on Monday.
Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu said dynamic groundwater resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and state governments.
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Out of 6,965 assessment units -- blocks, taluks, mandals, watersheds and firkas -- in the country, 1,114 units in 15 states and union territories have been categorised as "over-exploited", according to the 2020 assessment, he said in a written response.
In these 1,114 areas the annual groundwater extraction is more than the annual extractable groundwater resource, Tudu said in a written response.
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Responding to another question, he said about 68.8 per cent of wells monitored in the country registered water level up to five metre below ground level (mbgl) in 2021, while about 89 per cent have water level up to 10 mbgl.
Tudu said the CGWB is periodically monitoring ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network for monitoring wells.
He said of the 14,470 wells analysed, about 89 per cent have registered water level up to 10 mbgl as of November.
Tudu also said that as per information collected during November 2019, out of the total wells analysed, in around 87 per cent wells, the depth to water level was up to 10 mbgl, while during November 2020, about 88 per cent of the wells monitored in the country have registered water level up to 10 mbgl.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)