Ground Water Lifeline

We cannot continue to subsidize the economic and commercial use of water. There are related policies that must also be corrected to ensure adequate emphasis on water conservation, especially ground water. For example, providing free power to farmers has encouraged excessive use of pump sets and excessive drawing of ground water. If there is economic pricing of power, there would be some incentive for conserving ground water. Water conservation and management can be better served through appropriate incentives and penalties," said Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh while inaugurating the first-ever National Ground Water Congress on September 11. The Congress was organised with the main objective of developing strategies for sustainability and equitable use of ground water to mitigate water and create awareness: evaluate the role of ground water in national food and water security and promoting more crop and income per drop of water.

There were two Technical Sessions – “Awareness of Opportunities for Sustainable management of ground water through Rain Water Harvesting and Water Conservation” and “Role of different Panchayati Raj Institutes, Agricultural Universities, Rural Institutes, Women Institutes and Private Sector in Ground Water Conservation and Sustainable and Equitable use and “More Crop and Income Per Drop of Water”.

Dr Singh said, "any strategy for water conservation, management and utilization cannot be imposed on the country from here in New Delhi. We need a community‑based, region‑specific strategy that is owned by the people who have to implement it".

He added, "I sincerely believe that our Panchayati Raj institutions and our municipalities and local bodies, along with civil society organizations, have a critical and vital role to play in this regard. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme provides a unique opportunity to mobilize people for this purpose. I sincerely hope State Governments and local bodies will take an active interest in utilizing these resources for water management, conservation and utilization. A paradigm shift is also necessary in dealing with demand management. Every living being has the right to potable water, since water is life. However, for the economic use of water, especially in irrigation, construction and other sectors, we must emphasize the importance of efficient, economical and more rational use of water."

Groundwater is India’s water lifeline. The lifeline is in crisis situationand needs urgent intervention. Attention to Rainwater harvesting, watershed development, local water systems (tanks, lakes, ponds, talabs, pokhars… there are many names to it, but they are all local water systems), wetlands, forests, floodplains and rivers, all part of existing groundwater recharging systems, can help sustain India’s water lifeline. But the Local water systems, wetlands, forests,floodplains and rivers are facing systematic destruction in the name of development and at best lip service is
being paid for their conservation.

Government figures show that 85% of rural water supply comes from groundwater sources. More than half of the urban and industrial water supply comes from groundwater systems. At least two thirds of irrigated area foodgrains production comes from groundwater irrigated lands. 80% of additional irrigated areas in last two decades have come from groundwater sources. The existing groundwater recharging systems listed above help sustain the groundwater lifeline and their systematic destruction is one of the reasons for falling groundwater tables. And yet 80% of the water resources budget for the 11th Plan is going for big dams. That cannot help
sustain groundwater lifeline. In fact in many cases the big dams are reasons for the crisis. This is sure invitation for bigger trouble.

Union Water Resources Minister Prof Saifuddin Soz says, “This (ground water) resource has, however, come under stress due to itsoverexploitation”. SANDRP responded saying this is typical, incomplete and wrong analysis as it ignores the role played by existing groundwater systems and how they are getting destroyed. If the destruction of existing groundwater recharging systems is stopped, the situation would certainly be better. But all over the country they are facing destruction.

Scientists have repeatedly said that even to address the issues like the Arsenic contamination of groundwater, rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging is the best option. But there is no policy for stopping the destruction of existing systems of groundwater recharge.

The govt has been trying to regulate the use of groundwater through a top down,
unaccountable, non participatory mechanism of Central Groundwater Authority, in existence since eleven years. But such a mechanism cannot regulate use of groundwater. The Central Authority has failed to achieve its objective. Only a bottom up mechanism starting from local community controlled units can possibly regulate use of decentralised source like groundwater.

There is a need for fundamental changes in the way water resources is approached.
There is dangerous all round complacency about groundwater must be countered by a clearly defined policy to ensure that the existing groundwater recharging systems are not destroyed. Creation of more such systems has to be the focus of our water resources development policy. Our plans and budgets needs to reflect such policy, but they clearly do not at the moment. On management front, there is a need afor legally enforceable regulatory system that has community at the focus of regulating use and management of groundwater. Our understanding of science of groundwater aquifers and use of that scientific understanding in groundwater management needs to improve. Use of water saving techniques like the System of Rice Intensification needs to be given more serious attention as it has big potential in reducing groundwater use.