Not only sugarcane states, others too abuse groundwater

Over 90% of the extracted groundwater in India is used for irrigation.Though this has never been a secret, the quantum of groundwater use in different states shows that the culprits are not only the sugarcane producing states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. The onus of abusing groundwater resources also lies with wheat, rice, maize and oilseeds producing states like Punjab and Haryana.

Groundwater use pattern of these two states show they are extracting more water than can be replenished, driving home the urgent need for farmers to adopt efficient micro-irrigation systems like drip and sprinkler which can help conserve water.

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in its latest assessment report noted that though Punjab has only 20.32 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) of annual groundwater availability , it extracts 34.88 BCM annually . Similarly, Haryana extracts 13.05 BCM as against the availability of only 9.79 BCM. Of this, Punjab uses 34.17 BCM for its irrigation needs, while Haryana uses 12.35 BCM of groundwater it extracts annually for the same purpose.

Referring to such indiscriminate use of groundwater, the Union water resources minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday expressed her concern that prosperous states like Haryana and Punjab have “abused“ groundwater over the years and now most of their blocks fall under `dark' zones or highly groundwater exploited areas.

“More than 70% of their blocks are falling under dark zones now. A state like Maharashtra had reported water deficit situations earlier as well. But Punjab and Haryana tell us a tragic story,“ Bharti said while addressing the `India Water Forum', organised here by The Energy and Resources Institute, on the ongoing water crisis.

Though the situation of groundwater use is more or less same in many states, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are especially guilty because of the excessive pumping causing severe groundwater depletion.

What's the way forward?
Sudhir Panwar, Lucknow Uni versity professor and president of the Kisan Jagriti Manch, said government policy should be tweaked in such a way that farmers could conveniently move towards sprinkler and drip irrigation systems the twin methods of using water in most judicious way in agriculture.