Tag : industrialization

New Delhi (The Hawk): Ground water levels in some parts of the Country are declining because of continuous withdrawal necessitated by increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagaries of rainfall, increased population, industrialization & urbanization etc. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring the ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells. In order to assess the long-term fluctuation in ground water level, the water level data collected by CGWB during November 2021 when compared with the decadal mean of November 2011 to Nov 2020 indicates that about 70% wells have registered rise in water level whereas, about 30% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water level mostly in the range of 0 – 2 m. Water being a State subject, sustainable groundwater management including initiating suitable action for effective rainwater harvesting, increasing water use efficiency etc falls under the States’ mandate. Further, Central Government is promoting the concept of conjunctive use of surface and groundwater based on the village/gram panchayat level water security plan prepared in a scientific manner through participation of communities/stakeholders. Department of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Department of Land Resources & Department of Rural Development have jointly advised all States/UTs vide letter dated 31 March 2022 bringing out the urgent steps needed to make the villages in the country water sufficient by engaging the communities through p ...