Punjab Has A Groundwater Crisis. Here Are Ways To Resolve It

So far, small and medium land-holding farmers are able to eke out a living from the wheat-paddy cycle of cultivation. But they know it’s not sustainable. Water is running out. 

“Rice has become a curse for us, and the free electricity isn’t helping,” Singh told The Secretariat. And he isn’t the only farmer who thinks this way. Punjab is grappling with a severe groundwater crisis.

The region, pivotal to India's agricultural revolution, is witnessing an alarming depletion of aquifers. According to the Central Groundwater Board, 79 per cent of the state's blocks are overexploited. This ecological emergency, fueled by years of overreliance on groundwater, threatens Punjab's agrarian economy and environment. 

The Sustainable Way Forward?

There's more than one way to address the impending ecological crisis. The Secreatriat talked to researchers, farmers and policy stakeholders, all of whom gave a basket of policy options.

Experts and farmers alike point to the absence of robust market support for alternative crops as a reason for the limited success of their diversification efforts. Expanding the Minimum Suppport Prince (MSP) to include such crops, building reliable procurement mechanisms and providing financial incentives could encourage farmers to make the switch.

Maharashtra’s efforts to promote soybean cultivation as a sustainable alternative, shows how targeted policies have work effectively.  

Revisiting agricultural subsidies is another critical step. Rationalising power subsidies by adopting direct benefit transfers (DBTs) could help reduce indiscriminate water use without severely impacting farmers’ incomes. Although a long-shot, implementing volumetric pricing for groundwater extraction is the way to curb overextraction. 

Renewable energy solutions such as solar-powered irrigation pumps are touted as the sustainable way forward. While they don't directly address water woes, grid-tied solar pumps would allow farmers to sell excess energy and gain an additional revenue stream.

However, these must be through government initiatives, not unchecked private instalations which have been reported to further threaten the water table. 

Rajasthan’s growing adoption of solar systems demonstrates their potential for regions experiencing similar ecological challenges.  

This problem can't be resolved from the top down. Community-led initiatives that emphasise decentralised water governance are integral. Empowering farmer collectives to monitor and manage groundwater resources locally can encourage equitable water distribution. 

At the same time, community-driven awareness campaigns around sustainable water use can foster much-needed behavioral shifts among stakeholders. Andhra Pradesh’s water user associations illustrate how collaborative water management can enhance resource sustainability.  

Improved groundwater recharge mechanisms are equally important. Investments in watershed development, check dams, and the restoration of village ponds could revitalise groundwater levels. Punjab can also harness rainwater harvesting during the monsoons to replenish its aquifers to an extent. 

Utilising the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) program to construct rainwater harvesting structures and recharge wells can simultaneously address rural employment concerns. 

Public awareness campaigns that make the ecological and economic consequences of overexploitation clear to stakeholders will be vital in destigmatising a shift away from water-thirsty crops like paddy. 

Research and innovation in drought-tolerant crop varieties and micro-irrigation technologies can empower farmers to adopt sustainable practices without undermining productivity.

While these measures provide a roadmap to addressing Punjab’s groundwater crisis, success hinges on comprehensive policy interventions and cooperative governance between the state and the center. 

A Crisis Rooted In Green Revolution Practices  

The origins of Punjab's groundwater crisis can be traced back to the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s. Policies that incentivised high-yielding paddy and wheat cultivation transformed Punjab into an agricultural powerhouse.

However, these crops, particularly paddy, are water-intensive. The state’s semi-arid climate and minimal rainfall exacerbated groundwater usage.  

Compounding the issue are subsidised electricity and assured procurement at minimum support prices (MSP), encouraging excessive pumping of groundwater. Farmers often prioritise paddy because of its stable returns, even if it means deeper drilling for water.

This vicious cycle has depleted aquifers to critical levels, with water now being extracted at depths of 300 feet or more in some regions. Small landholding farmers cannot afford to dig deeper and deeper borewells. 

Fragmented policies and insufficient regulation have enabled unchecked overextraction. For instance, laws mandating delayed transplantation of paddy to conserve water during peak summer months have reduced evaporation losses, but have done little to address the structural causes of groundwater depletion — growing rice itself. 

Political, Policy Stalemate 

Addressing the groundwater crisis in Punjab requires a shift in crop cultivation patterns. Transitioning from paddy to less water-intensive crops like maize, pulses, and oilseeds is key. But despite the existence of crop diversification programs, only small pocjets have seen adoption. 

As water tables plummet, so do hopes for effective policy implementation. Diversifying crops in Punjab isn’t a new solution. It’s been on the table for over 40 years with the Johl Committee Report of 1986, and again showing up in policies from 2002, 2013, 2018, and the latest with the 2023 state agricultural policy proposed in September 2024. Yet, the state still doesn’t have an agricultural policy. 

The draft Punjab State Agricultural Policy 2023 states, “It is a question of the state’s survival.” Amidst the quagmire of politics and bureaucracy, the 200-word document says, “Making Punjab’s agriculture healthier, profitable and globally competitive as an energiser of its rural as well as overall economy and as supplier of healthier, nourishing food to society becomes the state’s holy task.” 

But, despite zeroing in on the problem, questions remain on how such a policy can be implemented and funded. 

“The solutions are there. Farmers are ready to change if they can make a living. We don’t need freebies, but someone to listen. We don’t need verbal assurances, but legal safeguards,” summarises Singh. That is the story of Punjab.