Centre Embarks Upon Mapping India's Aquifers To Face Water Crisis

A host of policy measures aimed at water conservation through rainwater harvesting, rejuvenating the country’s rivers and efficient irrigation technology is already underway. Along with this, water exploration could be the next big thing.

The Central Ground Water Board, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has now initiated a project to map underground water bodies that are usable — otherwise known as aquifers — in a few highly water-scarce states—Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. The rest of the country is expected to be covered subsequently in phases.

“The government is now seriously looking to initiate a drive to map the country’s aquifers. This is an extremely welcome, necessary and urgent step to address the water crisis in the country or else, we run the risk of turning this into a significant human disaster very quickly,” Sudipto Mukerji, Managing Director, Airborne Geoscience International, a geoscience company, told the Secretariat. The company will carry out aquifers exploration work in the states. 

What Are Aquifers?

In simple words, aquifers are water bodies found underground that come through rocks and soil. It is not the same as groundwater. While groundwater is the water found under the surface of the earth, which may or may not be safe and usable, aquifers are rock or soil formations that can not only store potable water, but also transmit it. 

The Niti Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report in 2018 brought to light several shocking data points. It said that about two lakh people in the country die every year due to a lack of adequate access to safe drinking water. The report also highlighted that about 600 million people, or 40 per cent of India’s population, could face water stress by 2030 — ie., in just five years.

While India is home to 1.4 billion people — almost 18 per cent of the world’s population, only 4 per cent of its water resources can be used, making it among the most water-stressed in the world. Such a crisis-like situation could undo India’s economic gains and severely dent growth prospects.

“The government is aware and has been regularly taking measures to ensure that the situation does not aggravate. There have been several discussions and brainstorming on the issue, and whatever step is required will be put in place,” said a senior officer at the Jal Shakti Ministry.

Har Ghar Jal Mission

The Centre’s flagship mission, Har Ghar Jal, which is part of the Jal Jeevan Mission and aimed at providing clean tap water to every rural household, is already underway. “The problem may arise if there is a shortage of groundwater, and to eliminate any such possibility, required steps need to be put in place immediately,” the official said.

A study by PRS India noted that aquifers represent around 65 per cent of India’s overall aquifer surface area. It added that most of them are found in central peninsular India, where land is typically underlain by hard-rock formations.

Africa has some of the world’s largest aquifers — the Continental intercalaire aquifer in North Africa being one of the most important ones. With depleting groundwater levels across the world, exploration for mapping aquifers is gaining ground, as it is crucial to assess the availability of usable underground water.

The Atal Bhujal Yojana, launched on December 25, 2019, is the largest community-driven groundwater management programme in the world. The World Bank is partnering with the programme, which has been implemented in more than 8,200 gram panchayats across seven Indian states.

Reasons For India's Water Crisis

Rapid, and in several cases, unplanned industrialisation, along with excessive use of water for agriculture, have led to the rapid depletion of groundwater levels in the country. About 90 per cent of the groundwater in the country is used for irrigation. A sizeable portion of the existing groundwater is also contaminated, which is adding to the problem.

“Even states which have been traditionally water-rich, like West Bengal and Odisha, are now staring at serious water problems,” the government official noted.