Groundwater levels in the state are receding at an alarming rate. While groundwater in many areas was already in the ‘critical’ category earlier, village after village in the state is now nose-diving into the ‘over exploited’ category when it comes to harvesting groundwater.
This perilous status of groundwater in AP has been conveyed to the authorities by the groundwater department. What is worrying the experts is that while on one hand, despite the rains, there is little recharge of groundwater due to massive urbanisation, on the other hand, rampant deep borewell drilling continues to lead to depletion of groundwater resources. Even the ‘static groundwater reserves’ are diminishing rapidly.
All it needs is a fresh earmarking of about 700-800 more villages in the ‘over exploited’ category (and some denotifications) for the sum total of villages in the OE category to exceed 3,000. (The state has a total of 28,000 villages) The same have been notified under the Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act, 2002 (WALTA).
Dr K. Venugopal, joint director, groundwater department, made it clear that there was no further scope for water resource development in the state. A serious ban on deep-bore drilling for purposes other than drinking water, water recycling for irrigation needs and reduction of wastage can help groundwater recharge over a period of time. Authorities give examples of the earlier “notified” villages where a strict vigil over further drilling of deep borewells, has helped restore the groundwater levels to a healthy state.
Twenty three districts and 84 basins have already been affected by the groundwater crisis. “In Hyderabad, the water level has gone down by four meters during the past year”, said an official.