Groundwater declines by 3.2% in 4 years

The Times of India , Friday, December 13, 2013
Correspondent :
BANGALORE: Blame it on increase in population, urbanization, rapid industrialization and climate change, Karnataka's water resources are under severe threat and depleting fast. The overexploited groundwater resources are suffering, pushing the water table down.

These facts came to light at a state-level consultative workshop on Iimplications of climate change on water and sanitation' in the city. Organized by The Energy and Research Institute (Teri) and Unicef, the workshop looked at developing a state-level strategy to address issues related to water and sanitation vis-a-vis climate change.

The net annual groundwater availability in Karnataka has gone down from 15,29,659 hectare metre (HAM) in 2004 to 14,81,015 HAM in 2009, a net decline of 3.2%, mainly due to over-extraction. One HAM is equal to one crore litres of water. The overexploitation is severe in Bangalore, Tumkur, Kolar and Chitradurga districts where the water drawn is more than what is naturally recharged.

According to a report by the department of geology in 2010, 64 watersheds spread over 35 taluks are overexploited and this number may only rise. Due to depletion of the groundwater table, concentration of elements like fluoride and arsenic is going up beyond permissible limits in four districts.

Water, sanitation and hygiene officer of Unicef (AP and Karnataka) Salathiel R Nalli said fluoride and arsenic concentration has reached the 'hazardous' mark now in 44 villages of Raichur district and some villages in Gulbarga. In Chitradurga and Kolar districts, there seems to be increasing instances of degraded water quality.

While the permissible concentration of arsenic is 0.01 parts per million (ppm), as against the national average of 0.05 ppm, the fluoride concentration should well remain within the 1.5 ppm mark. But it has shot beyond the upper limits to stand at 0.06-0.08 ppm for arsenic and 2-2.5 ppm for fluoride.

Looking ahead

Groundwater monitoring for quality and quantity at the block level.

Groundwater resource-mapping using GIS tools.

Establishment of a state-level policy body to review the possibility of prohibiting use of groundwater for non-drinking and non-emergency uses.

Extending rainwater harvesting to other urban local bodies.

Quotes

The idea is to highlight climate change aspects that need to be incorporated into government planning, design and implementation of programmes

Pronab Dasgupta | director, Teri Southern Regional Centre

Inefficient water supply jeopardizes water security and increases dependence on groundwater. Reuse of treated water in industries and urban local bodies has been unable to make significant in-roads, thereby adding to the state's woes.

Ritu Kakkar | director-general, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Groundwater-declines-by-3-2-in-4-years/articleshow/27252244.cms
 


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