GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Environment Conservation
Source: IE
Context: A recent United Nations University report warns that 27 out of 31 aquifers in India are depleting faster than they can be replenished due to excessive groundwater extraction.
What are Aquifers?
They are underground layers of rock or sediment that can store and transmit groundwater. They are like natural reservoirs that hold water, and they play a crucial role in providing freshwater for wells, springs, and other water sources.
Key Status about Groundwater (GW):
- India is the largest user of Groundwater (GW) ( accounting for 1/4th of total withdrawal)
- 87% of GW is used for Irrigation
- Currently, 67% of GW units are safe (extraction< 70% of recharge), 14% Overexploited and 4% at the Critical
- Extraction is very high in Haryana, Punjab (78% of wells are overexploited), Rajasthan
- Climate Concerns:In southwest India, increasing temperatures might hinder groundwater replenishment.
Legal and regulatory frameworks for groundwater:
| Framework | Description |
| Article 21 | Recognizes the fundamental right to clean water under the right to life. |
| Central Ground Water Authority | Established by the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, responsible for framing groundwater policies and programs. |
| Supreme Court | Upholds the ‘public trust doctrine,’ (2004) treating groundwater as a public resource, not private ownership. |
| Government Schemes | Initiatives like Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme for groundwater management. |
| Indian Easement Act, 1882 | Historically determined groundwater rights are often linked to land ownership. |
| Central Ground Water Board | Established in 1970, it develops groundwater policies and programs. |
| Model Groundwater Bills | Revised multiple times, empowers state boards to create laws and manage water resources. |
| National Green Tribunal | Directs the Central Ground Water Authority to regulate extraction and mandates permission for extraction. |
| Polluter Pays Principle | Addresses groundwater contamination case-by-case, with polluters bearing remediation costs. |
For Reasons for the use of ground waters in irrigation: Click Here
For Problems associated with such rampant use: Click Here
Initiatives:
International:
- The United Nations-Water Summit on Groundwater 2022: Organised to raise awareness on groundwater conservation.
- “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible” campaign run by UN-Water throughout 2022.
National:
- Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme
- Jal Shakti Abhiyan (2019):Launched in 256 water-stressed districts to improve groundwater conditions in these areas.
- Atal Bhujal Yojanais a groundwater management scheme launched in 2019.
About Atal Bhujal Yojana:
Way forward:
| Strategy | Description |
| Water-Efficient Crops | Promotion of less water-intensive crops like millet to reduce water consumption in agriculture. |
| Efficient Watering | Emphasis on water-saving irrigation techniques to minimize water wastage and over-extraction. |
| Technology Adoption | Introduction of monitoring technologies for borewells to increase awareness and encourage responsible usage. |
| Awareness and Education | Educational efforts to inform the public about the real-time status of borewells and the need for water conservation. |
| Institutional Innovations | Innovative approaches within the water sector to ensure sustainable water management. |
| Demand-Side Management | Addressing the connection between power subsidies and excessive groundwater extraction, especially in states like Punjab, to conserve resources. |
Conclusion
The effective answer to the groundwater crisis is to integrate conservation and development activities, from water extraction to water management, at the local level; making communities aware and involving them fully is therefore critical for success.
Insta Links
Growing water crisis and One water Approach (OWA)
Mains Links
Bring out the problems associated with groundwater irrigation in India. Critically analyse the role of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) in improving agricultural production on a sustainable basis. (15M)
