Uma Bharti bats for policy to address indiscriminate withdrawal of groundwater

NEW DELHI: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has laid stress on the need for a comprehensive policy to address the issue of indiscriminate withdrawal of groundwater, which has led to over-exploitation of groundwater in some areas.

"In view of indiscriminate withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation, industries and domestic purposes leading to over-exploitation of groundwater in some areas, there is need of comprehensive policy to address the problem," she said while addressing the meeting of Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to her Ministry in New Delhi yesterday.

She said the supply and demand side management should go hand in hand to address the depleting ground water levels in various parts of the country, a press release here said today.

"Growing concern of deterioration in groundwater quality especially arsenic and fluoride requires intensive monitoring of groundwater quality in time and space and also mechanism for sharing of data and information," Bharti said.