Ground water recharge plan is a non-starter

NEW DELHI: Decline in ground water level due to overexploitation of available resources had prompted the Centre in 2013 to come out with a master plan for artificial recharge of ground water, specifying how different states would go about it on priority. But majority of the states have, so far, not implemented the master plan.
Water resources ministry had recently told a Parliamentary committee that only six states -Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka have taken follow-up actions despite the fact that the number of `dark' (over-exploited) units increased from 802 in March, 2009 to 1,071 in March, 2011.

Though the latest report, covering assessment of ground level situation as on March, 2013, is still being compiled, sources in the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) hinted at further increase in the number of `dark' units. An over-exploited unit means that the withdrawal of water is more than the recharge in that particular area.

The Committee, which had submitted its report to Parliament during the winter session in December, noted that the extraction of water in those areas had not been regulated effectively which has led to “serious decline in the ground water levels in many parts of the country“.

Referring to the water resources ministry's reply, the Committee said the picture that emerged from the review has revealed a “very dismal performance“.

Union Territories (UTs), on the other hand, had acted promptly on implementing the master plan for ground water recharge with Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Daman & Diu taking lead in follow-up actions.

The Union water resources ministry , however, on its part, has taken up aquifer mapping exercise in priority areas (overexploited units). An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing rock, from which ground water can be extracted.The mapping will assist states in estimating quantity and quality of ground water in an aquifer and would help it in assessment of sustainable level of water extraction. The 2013 master plan has suggested different methods for artificial recharge of ground water in different states. It suggested creation of various artificial recharge structures like percolation tanks, check dams, nala bunds, gully plugs and gabion structures. Provision to arrest ground water flow through ground water dams has also been suggested for some states.

The plan envisages construction of about 1.11crore artificial recharge structures in ur ban and rural areas at an estimated cost of about Rs. 79,178 crore. This comprises of around 88 lakh recharge structuresfacilities utilizing rain water directly from roof top and around 23 lakh artificial recharge and rain water harvesting structures for conserving surplus run-off and recharging ground water in aquifers.

The break-up includes around 2.90 lakh check dams, 1.55 lakh gabion structures, 6.26 lakh gully plugs, 4.09 lakh nala bundscement plugs, 84925 percolation tanks, 8281sub-surface dykes, 5.91 lakh recharge shafts,1.08 lakh contour bunds, 16235 injection wells and 23172 other structures. An emphasis has been given to spring development for NE states, Andaman & Nicobar and Sikkim.