Journal of Global Resources
Volume 4 (02)
July 2018
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

Page 01-10

01
MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION IN MAHOBADISTRICT OF BUNDELKHAND REGION OF UTTAR PRADESH
Devendra Singh Yadav1 and G. S. Chauhan2
1
Research Scholar, Department of Geography, M.L.B. Government
College of Excellence, (Jiwaji University) Gwalior, India
Email: devyadavgis@gmail.com
2
Deputy Secretary, University Grants Commission, Central Regional Office, Bhopal, India
Abstract: Water is one of the most important natural resources on the earth. At the same time,
it is becoming a scarce resource in many parts of the world today including India where someparts are facing water scarcity while some other areas possess plethora of water resources.
Bundelkhand region is one of the pertinent regions of the country happens to be particularly
Mahoba district of this region which is currently facing the acute water crisis and severe shortageof water. This study explains the present condition of water resources and examines the causesof water crisis and water depletion problem by using primary and secondary data and found that
increasing pressure of human and livestock population, deforestation, urbanization andindustrialization, expansion in agriculture land, intensive agricultural and its allied activities,
including rigorous mining and quarrying on large scale, domestic demands of water supply aresome of the prime major factors for surface and ground water depletion.
Key words: Water, Region, Management, Scarcity, Expansion.
Introduction
Unquestionably, water is one of the most important natural resources on mother earth. Water isincreasingly becoming scarce resource in many parts of the globe including India. India being ageographically vast country has some parts facing water scarcity while some other parts haveabundant water resources. Bundelkhand region is one of the important regions of the country
particularly Mahoba district of the region which is currently facing the acute water scarcity andwater depletion problem. The study region is a drought prone area of the country due to scanty
rainfall and consecutive monsoon failure. The entire region is documented as one of the
agricultural backward and poorest regions of the India. Currently, this rain-fed region is facing
huge scarcity of water over the last couple of years it has been witnessed that the region inquestion has been reeling under the severe drought situation in spite of a number of rivers like
Betwa, Ken, Urmil, Sahzad, Mandakani, Jamni, Yamuna and Saujam being in existence there.
However, these rivers are the seasonal rivers but not the perennial rivers. This region is termed
as one of the backward regions of the country particularly from agricultural point of view becauseof recurring droughts, water scarcity, high rate of evapo-transpiration, crops failures, scanty anderratic rainfall, poor irrigation facilities, declining agriculture productivity, land degradation, malnutrition, population migration and hunger and food insecurity. The series of all these relevant
factors are by and large liable for the economic backwardness of the entire region.
Consequently, a line share local population of the villagers is forced to migrate from the
Bundelkhand region to other parts of the country to get their livelihood security and to survive
their lives.
Water is considered as an essential natural resource not only for life but almost for all thebiotic and a biotic activities operating on the earth surface. Literally, this valuable resource ismanageable because of its capability of diversion, transportation and storage including recycling.
By applying different types of modern techniques and traditional methods, and launching ofmassive water awareness programmes from time to time, it can be conserved and managed forincreasing millions of people. Therefore, keeping in view the constant growing demands forwater resources, there is an urgent need to save the precious gift of God given to the mankind.
The term, “water management” connotes to economies applied in the usage of water be it
1

ground water or surface in order to ensure judicious distribution of water to as many uses as
possible. According to a United Nation’s estimate by the year 2025 two thirds of humanity will
face shortage of fresh water. So, it becomes necessary to investigate the current status of water
resources and assess its importance in the study region as well and find out the prime causes ofthe prevailing water shortage problem and people’s perception of the region concerned.
Geo-Physical Profile of the Study Region
The designated study area is the part of Bundelkhand region (Banda1, Chitrakoot2, Hamirpur3,
Jalaun4, Jhansi5, Lalitpur6 and Mahoba7) which is situated between 25001′30′′ and25039′40′′ northlatitude and from 79015′00′′ to 80010′30′′ east longitude. It consists of an area of 3,144 Sq.km
comprising 3 tehsil (Kulpahar, Charkhari, Mahoba), 4 development blocks (Jaitpur, Kabrai,
Charkhari and Panwari) and 521 villages inhabited by 8, 75,858 people with the population
density of 279 persons per sq. km. as per 2011 census which is very low vis-a-vis the state i.e.
829 persons per sq.km. The rural area covers 3116.1 Sq. Km. and urban recorded 27.9 Sq. Km.
There are 247 Gram Panchayats and 521 Revenue villages. The study region ranks 48th interms of literacy with 65.3 percent which is lower than the state average of 67.7 percent. The
another distinction of the region is that there are 86 uninhabited villages out of total 521 villages,
where Kulpahar tehsil has the highest number of inhabited villages 227 while Charkhari tehsil
has the lowest number of inhabited villages (83). In the area under study (Mahoba district) holds
the distinction of being the smallest district in terms of population in the entire state of U.P. (71thranks).
It is located in the south western part of the Uttar Pradesh which is an agrarian state andshares geographical boundaries with Hamirpur district in north, Madhya Pradesh state in south,
Banda and Jhansi district in east and west respectively. The district came into existence having
been bifurcated from Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh on February 9, 1995. Before its creation
it had been under the jurisdiction of Jhansi Division but presently it is one of the districts ofChitrakoot division. Due to small land holdings and limited irrigation facilities including harshclimatic condition in most of the areas crops are harvested only once in a year. Pulses, wheat,sorghum and oilseeds are the main crops of the region. The research area is famous for its betel
leaf (Paan) across the state. Due to scarcity of water, the district is backward in various
agricultural crops production and productivity. Geologically, the district comprises Precambrian
Bundelkhand massif dolerites, granites and quartz reefs confirmatively overlain by quaternary
alluvium. The major rivers of the region are Dhasan, Urmil, Birma and Arjun which are seasonal.
Physio-graphically the area has been divided into two parts viz., 1. Southern parts having highreliefs with hillocks and; 2. Northern parts having relatively low relief with low hillocks.

Fig. 1: Location Map of Study Region

The average annual rainfall is 864 mm in the study area. The climate is typical subtropical punctuated with long and intense summer. About 87 percent of the annual rainfall isreceived from south-west monsoon and the soil has been formed by the weathering of granites.
Clay and loamy soil is dominant in the entire region. Mahoba district mainly comprises hard rockformation of Bundelkhand massif. The rainfall does not percolate and store subsurface since therocks are of massive and compact nature. However, secondary porosity in the form of joints andfissures allow some water to percolate inside the earth. On the basis of hydro-geologicalinformation ground water occurs in two forms: (i) Shallow zone- the phreatic conditions are only
limited to the overburden of rocks the depth of which is maximum up to 35-40 m, (ii) Deeper
fracture zones, the ground water occurs in fractures and joints and the potential fractures areencountered from around 35 m to 96 m in some places. Being the hilly and rugged terrain theoccurrence of ground water in this terrain is highly uncertain. The annual ground water rechargeof the region was 47,046.58 hm. (hectare meters); the net annual ground water availability wasassessed to be 42, 341.92 hm. (hectare meters). The existing gross ground water draft for allusers was 20,978.59 hm. The net ground water availability for future irrigation development was
20,863.84 hm. The stage of ground water development is 49.55 percent (2004).
Aims and Objectives of the Research Study• To find out the current status of water resources available• To analyze and assess the status of water resources in spatio-temporal perspective• To analyze and highlight the major causal factors of water scarcity and water depletion• To know and understand people’s perception regarding research problem• To suggest the inclusive and appropriate strategies for sustainable management andconservation of water resources
Data base and Research Methodology
The entire research study is based on both primary and secondary data collected by a detailed
structured questionnaire which covered four Blocks Jaitpur, Kabrai, Panwari, Charkhari and 10
villages from the each block of Mahoba district have been earmarked. This study conductedinterview with 400 respondents to elicit their personal observation and know the people’s
perception regarding the research problem. So, sampling method has been used and the wholesurvey was conducted in order to get the precise observation. Apart from that the secondary
data has also been collected from different types of sources viz., District Census Hand book,
District Gazettes, District Statistical Book, Department of Geology, Uttar Pradesh, Central Water
Commission (CWC) Govt. of India, National Water Development Agency Govt. of India, Ken
Betwa link Details Project Report (DPR), Govt. of India, Ministry of Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Uttar
Pradesh, Water Management Directorate of Uttar Pradesh, Land Development and Water
Resources Department of Mahoba District etc. The concerned literature including the reputed
journals, project reports and related research papers, books have also been studied, consulted
and quoted at relevant places. Precisely, all the data has been analyzed by applying various
statistical methods and techniques. Apart from this, water resources data has also beenhighlighted with the help of maps, charts and tables including all other relevant information tounderstand the problem from different perspectives.
Status of Ground Water Resourcesa)Status of Water Resources in India
The average annual water flow of Indian rivers is about 1,869 million per metre3 out of as
little as 690 million metre3 or to the tune of 36.92 percent water is suitable for humanconsumption. The mighty rivers like the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra possess about
60 percent of surface water in India. About 95 percent surface water which is drained throughvarious rivers into the seas and oceans. The potential of underground water in the country isaround 434 million metre3. Generally, India receives about 400 million ha. Meters of precipitation
this evaporates immediately from the soil and about 15 million ha. Meters flow out into the sea.
Intensive research has been conducted for the management of conservation water resources inIndia by many subject experts including geo-hydrologists, geologists, geographers, economists
and agricultural scientists from different dimensions to assess and highlight the status of surface
3and groundwater particularly those in Bundelkhand region of U.P. including the various parts ofthe country as well as potentiality of water resources for future needs of society. Some of thevery important studies which are indeed very relevant and familiar in the present research work
are Athavale, R.N. (2003), Iyer, Gopal K. and Roy, Upendra Nath (2005), Agarwal, Anil andNarain, Sunita (1992), Agarwal, Anil and Narain, Sunita and Khurana, Indira (ed.) (2001),
Agarwal, A., Tinker, J. et al (1980), Bhargava, R.N., Sinha, R.S. Dutta. V (2010), Biswas, A.K. et
al (eds.) (1991), Chauhan, G.S. and Dubey, R.N. (2004) etc.
b) Status of Water Resources in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is one of the leading agrarian States of India. It is very rich both in surface
and in terms of ground water resources .The state is characterized by sub-tropical climate andthe average annual rainfall is estimated to be around 1,000 mm, of which nearly 85 percent
occurs mainly during monsoon period. The rainfall is highest in northern and eastern part of thestate which gradually decreases towards the west and the south-west. The state owns two
geomorphic units’ viz., (i) Ganga plains (ii) Bundelkhand plateau. The southern part of the statecomprises hard rock’s of Bijawar and Vindhyan groups.
The rainfall pattern is not uniform and it varies ranging from above 1,600 mm in thesouthern part to above 350 mm in the north- western part of the State. The statistical table ofthe study region relating to the rainfall during the time series (1980-2016) depict that the trends
are not uniform but there are certain ups and downs and the rainfall quantity has reduced
drastically from 2001 onwards (Table 1). As it has been already described the Mahoba district
which is the study region is located in the water deficit and drought prone area known as
Bundelkhand region, it received 258.08 mm rainfall during monsoon season (June – September)less than normal rainfall that is 776.4 mm (-67 percent deficit) in Mahoba district (Ground Water
Year Book, 2014-15) .The overall picture reflects that the entire state received abundant amountof rain water during the monsoon season. However, the southern part of the state particularly
Bundelkhand region there of including the study region received relatively less quantum rainfall
and it is known as “drought prone area as well as water crisis region” of the state. The state Net
Annual Ground Water Availability is 71,57,487.72 (ham.) and Net ground water availability for
future irrigation development is 18,98,010.72 (ham.). The stage of ground water development in
Uttar Pradesh is 73.78 (Table 2).
Status of Water Resources in Study Region
The study region which is part of Bundelkhand-Vindhayan plateau landscape is located in thesouthern part of Uttar Pradesh. From water availability point of view, the entire area is problem
ridden and drought prone particularly the hydro-geological conditions are rather inclement
consequently, the ground water availability is very low. Due to constant exerting populationpressure of both human and livestock and intensive agricultural and developmental activities inand around the area, the consumption of ground water has increased many folds. Consequently,
all the four blocks of the Study region have been declared over-exploited and critical zone
(Department of Ground Water U. P. 2013). From agricultural point of view, the region is socioeconomically backward and under developed. Agriculture is the main stay of the local masses
and of their livelihood security; the farming community got only one crop in a year. Moreover, theproductivity of various agricultural crops is rather less as compared to the state average
productivity. The main and sole liable factor behind the scenario is that the irrigation facilities isminimum and the agriculture system is entirely dependent on rainfall which is very less inrelation to the northern part of the state.
The average annual rainfall in the study region is around 864 mms. Approximately, 90
percent of the annual rain-fall is received during the months of June to September, July andAugust being the receiving maximum rain months in the entire area. The variation in the rainfall
from year to year is sharp declining trends (1980-2016). The climate is characterized by subtropical in nature punctuated with long and intense summer. May is the hottest month withmercury rising up to 47.50 C. while January is usually the coldest month with the temperaturegoing up to 8.30 C. The region is drained by the Dhasan, Urmil, Birna and Arjun rivers. Dhasan is4the main river of the area and it is right bank tributary of the Betwa river which originates(Vindhayachal mountain range) in Begumganj tehsil of Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh.
Table 01: Annual Mean Rainfall between 1980-2016 (in mm)
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991

Annual Mean
Rainfall1294.711058.76
1429.52
1171.15834.091235.75864.02625.04854.25821.161518.61589.63

Annual Mean
Rainfall711.09702.971335.47905.481102.03893.291052.74
1227.61869.79856.43743.00
N/A

Year
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003

Year
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

Annual Mean
RainfallN/A
448.00444.00366.00679.00488.00539.9
800.00566.80870.80379.80370.20843.10Source: Rainfall Statistics of India – 2016, Hydromet Division, India Meteorological Department (Ministry of Earth Sciences),
Mausam Bhawan, New Delhi

As per Report on Dynamic Ground Water Resource of Mahoba District (as on
31.2.2004)the annual ground water recharge of the study region was 47,046.58 ham, the net
annual ground water availability was 42,341.92 ham whereas the existing gross ground water 8
drafts for all uses is 20,978.59 hm. The net ground water availability for future irrigation
development was 20,863.84 hm. for the target area. The statistical table illustrate that the stageof ground water development of study region was 110.76 percent (Table 2) which is considered
to be in the over exploited zone whereas in case of 4 blocks of study region is very serious andalarming, For instance, Kabrai block , where the stage of ground water development is recorded
130.62 percent followed by Jaitpur block 120.27 percent that is considered the over-exploitedzone in 2011 (Table 3).The rest of the two blocks are considered Panwari and Charkhari wererecorded to be critical. Whereas the stage of ground water development in the year 2013 of the
4 blocks is by and large almost the same with certain fluctuations (Table 3).
Table 02: Region wise Ground Water Resource Potential of Uttar Pradesh, 2013#

1

District/
RegionNet Annual
GroundWater
Availability(ham)

Exiting
Groundwater draft
for irrigation(ham)

Draft forindustrial &domestic
water use(ham)

Exiting grossgroundwater draft
for all uses
(ham)

Allocation fordomestic andindustrial
requirement
supply up to
next 25 years

Net groundwater
availability
for futureirrigation
development(ham)Stage ofgroundwater
developm
ent(percent)

Uttar Pradesh

7157487.72

4838368.71

442185.20

442185.20

649149.50

1898010.72

73.78

2

Bundelkhand
440439.82
214772.88
20492.36
235265.23
30945.78
198575.62
Region3
Mahoba17522.13
17720.33
1686.39
19406.72
2674.69
144.50District
Source: Department of Ground Water, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, report on ground water scenario district Mahoba, 2016-17

53.42
110.76

The region consists of a good number of ponds, dams, canals, streams, wells, and tube
wells in order conserve the rain water during the Monsoon. The major and well known dams of
the area are Urmil, Majagawan, Kabrai, Arjun and Chandrawal located at various pertinent
geographical locations and all these have been constructed by the Govt. of U.P. for irrigation
purposes only whereas the total number of ponds are 18 which cover the substantially large
area predominately Keerat sagar, Madan sagar, Kulpahar, Bela sagar, Vijay sagar, Salarpur,
Urwara, Kamalpur, Chhitarwara (built up during Chandela’s rulers) Urwara, Kamalpur,
Chhitarwara (built up during Chandela’s rulers).

5

Table 03: Comparison of Status of Block-wise ground Water Availability and Utilization
Block

Ground water
Assessment Area(ha)

Panwari
Jaitpur
CharkhariKabrai
Total

68673
35430
50123
18494
172720

Panwari
Jaitpur
CharkhariKabrai
Total

68673
35430
50123
18494
172720Net Ground water
Recharge (ham)Existing Gross
Ground water
Draft For All Uses(in ham)

As On 31-3-2011
3379.77
3172.58
4111.714945.35
3763.423600.14913.176417.39
16168.07
18135.42
As On 31-3-2013
3619.83598.174498.65316.84032.083909.215371.656582.5417522.13
19406.72

Net Ground Water
Availability For
Future Use (ham)Stage Of Ground
Water
Development (%)

207.190163.320370.51

98.87
120.2795.66
130.62111.3521.63
0122.87
0
144.5

99.4
118.1996.95
122.54109.27

Source: Department of Ground Water, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh

According to the people’s perception the various factors are as under
Out of 1,600 respondents (400 each block) as many as 45 percent people perceived that theless rainfall and recurring droughts is the major factor of water depletion, the second mostimportant factor of (both surface and ground water) is deforestation and increasing population,as per the 23 percent people’s perception; the third important factor is rising number of tube
wells (Table 4)
Table 04: Major Causes of Water Depletion (in percent)
Study Region#
CausesCharkhari
Jaitpur
KabraiPanwadi
11
1
Wells
14
15
9
6
17
2
Tube-wells
17
19
17
16
45
3
Less Rainfall
40
42
48
50
23
4
Deforestation
23
21
22
26
4
5
Other
5
3
4
2
100
Total (% )
100
100
100
100
Source: Personal Survey

Whereas 11 percent people’s perception was that increasing no. of dig wells are themain factors of surface and ground water depletion followed by other pertinent factors. These
above given factors were based on the people’s perception while as per the various facts,
figures, reports and other scientific studies the other relevant factors of water scarcity and water
depletion were mainly :• Less and erratic rainfall.
• Exerting pressure of population of human and livestock.
• High rate of evapo-transpiration.
• Small area under forest cover.
• Acute imbalance between rate of withdrawal and rate of recharge of ground water.
• Low level of awareness for conservation & management for water resources among therural masses particularly in farming community.
• Gradual diminishing of traditional methods of water resource conservation.
• Growing area under agricultural operations.
• Excess withdrawal of ground water through diesel pumps and tube wells for irrigation ofagricultural crops and drinking purposes.
• Production of maximum water consuming crops by farming community for their economic
benefits like peppermint, sugarcane, wheat etc.
• Continual rise in numbers of hand pumps, wells and tube wells.
• Intensive illegal mining and quarrying activities and to increase constructional activities
including massive deforestation.
6

Apart from the factors highlighted above, there are the other important issues relating towater depletion and water conservation in the study region that have been analyzed on
the basis of people’s perception one by one:
1. As per the people’s perception (33 percent), the traditional methods of water
conservation are ponds and tanks followed by check dams and bandhi ( bandhi is the
local terminology that refers to the formation of high-rise structure made up of loose soilby the farmers to harvest water for agricultural uses in Bundelkhand region ) . About
28 percent (Table 5) respondents have no idea regarding the traditional methods ofwater conservation.
#
1
2
3
4

Table 05: Traditional Methods of Water Conservation (in percent)
Methods
Charkhari
Jaitpur
KabraiPanwadi Study Region
Pond/Tank
37
33
28
33
33
Check dam
39
18
31
38
32
Others710667
No idea
17
38
35
23
28
Total (% )
100
100
100
100
100

Source: Personal Survey

2. While people’s perception was very clear in case of modern methods of water
conservation that have the great impact on agricultural crops and their productivity. The
main crops of the study region are Wheat, Pea, Arhar, Gram, Oilseeds and peanuts. It
was the perception of about 30 percent respondents that piped modern method is uniqueto conserve water resources (Table 6) in drought prone and rain-fed areas. It has been
proved useful and very successful in agricultural operations and water is supplied
through pipe where the supply of water is moderately less. There are several others
modern methods as well to conserve and save water resources viz., tree plantation,
dams and sprinkling system including rain water harvesting.

#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Table 06: Modern Methods of Water Conservation (in percent)
Methods
Charkhari Jaitpur
KabraiPanwadi Study Region
Water Harvesting
2
3
2
3
3
Sprinkling system
18
12
12
9
13
Piped water supply
24
34
30
32
30
Dam
3
3
4
8
5
Plantation
27
22
26
25
25
Others3
12
3223
No idea
23
24
25
21
Total (% )
100
100
100
100
100

Source: Personal Survey

3. The ground and surface water depletion has also equal degree of impact on various
other phenomena and anthropogenic activities in the study region like natural vegetation,
crop yields, growth of grass land on the food and fodder including livestock particularly
during the drought period when there is no grass and fodder available for livestock during
summer season where water crisis remains throughout the year except in rainy season.
As per people’s perception water crisis period is recorded during March to July almost
every year. About 41 percent people’s observation reveals that the month of May holds
the distinction of being a month riddled with acute shortage of water in the study region
when the farmers community , local masses and other biotic and a biotic phenomenon
are in the grip of water crisis followed by month of June (38 percent ) including a small
period of July ( Table 7).

7

#
1
2
3
4
5

Table 07: Month of Water Crisis during the Year (in percent)
Study Region
MonthsCharkhari Jaitpur
KabraiPanwadi
March
5
5
3
5
5
April
16
10
9
10
11
May
39
35
48
41
41
June
34
43
38
37
38
July
7
7
4
7
6
Total (% )
100
100
100
100
100

Source: Personal Survey

4.

#
1
2
3

It has also been observed that water crisis is considered to be an annual natural event.
As per people’s perception (45 percent) the frequency of water crisis is around after
every 3 year, while 44 percent people’s perception is that the frequency of water crisis isafter 2 years interregnum while 11 percent people’s perception is that the frequency iswater crisis every year in the study region (Table 8).
Table 08: Frequency of Water Crisis in Periodic (in percent)Frequency (year)
Charkhari
Jaitpur
KabraiPanwadiStudy Region
Every year
14
17
7
7
11
Every two year
41
47
40
48
44
Every three year
45
37
54
45
45
Total (% )
100
100
100
100
100

Source: Personal Survey

Suggestions
Relevant strategies both long and short term for conservation and management of water
resources have been discussed below one by one in the domain area:
1. It has already been mentioned that Irrigation facilities are severely limited in the entire region
and less rainfall further worsens the condition. In view of the same, there is an urgent needto conserve and manage maximum water resources in the target area. To achieve this goal,
the Govt. of UP, particularly the Department of agriculture has launched various important
schemes namely “Khait Talab Yojana, Maidh Bandhi”, “Dig Well Schemes”, “Construction of
Check Dams”, for conservation and management of water resources and soil conservation. It
has also been observed by the researchers during the field survey that the above prestigious
schemes did not implement and monitor properly to get the desired results. To implement
such schemes, the suitable selection of the check dams, hand pumps, wells, and tube-wells
should be constructed at the right place. Besides, big water structures should be constructedin the lower hill dominated areas so that the huge amount of rain water may be naturally
store therein. That is the best traditional method to save and conserve water resources for
future needs of the people. Special incentives should be given to the farmers to create water
structures in their farms especially in the low lying locations and tree plantation and pastureland should also be promoted and encouraged in order to recharge the ground water. It isalso one of the best traditional methods to recharge underground water resources.
2. It has been observed that the local farmers are producing those agricultural crops for theireconomic needs which are more water consuming like peppermint, sugarcane, wheat, pea
etc. In order to save ground water resources, more emphasis should be laid on cash andcommercial crops for better output as well as less consumption of water.
3. Just before the rainy season, awareness programmes should be launched in the study areawith public and private partnership by involving farming community, local people and NGOs,
to clean and remove the debris deposited in the aquifers, ponds, wells and Streams in order
to increase their water storage capacity. For this purpose financial assistance should begiven to the local masses and farmers to clean and dig up their structure of water resources
owning to increase the water storage capacity in and around their agricultural owing.
4. Illegal mining activities should be checked on priority basis in the various parts of domain
region. It has been perceived that the intensive illegal mining activities are going on in thevarious areas particularly in those areas which are hills-locked. To get granite stone and the8other varieties of stone to sell at high prices in the market. Subsequently, almost all the hill
areas which are laden with different varieties of bushes and trees and have lost soil moistureand soil particles as well as capacity to germinate new tree and plant species. Moreover,such hill areas are the better source of seepage of ground water resources. The anotherimportant phenomenon related to the same issue is that the rain water is preserved by thehill areas through streams and channels which are the effective and unique sources of water
conservation also slow down the pace of recharging of ground water. Hence, the Govt.
should ban mining and quarrying activities on urgent basis in order to conserve and manage
water sources and to ensure sustainable growth as well.
5. For conservation and management of water resources preference should also be accorded
to the horticultural crops namely mangoes, guava, pomegranate, papaya, amla (phyllanthus
emblica) etc. and it should be promoted among the farming community. It will be amultipurpose source to increase their income and livelihood security and to recharge theunderground water resources. Another important benefit of the horticultural crops is that it
will also helpful to check the migration of people to a great extent.
6. As the study region is retaining the undulating and uneven topography including the hard pan
strata, due to which the rain water cannot percolate into the earth. The hard pan strata
restrict the seepage of ground water beneath the ground. As a result, the limited water
quantity is consumed by the existing local soil. In this process during the rainy season ahuge quantity of water received during the monsoon season could not reach theunderground layers which remains replenished. So, keeping in view the hard pan strata of
the study region (upper layer of the soil), effort should be made that the rain water shouldreach inside the earth properly with the help of modern technology like- injected wells or dig
well recharge, induced recharge from surface water resource and percolation tanks.
7. The domain area is rain fed area and to preserve and manage maximum water during themonsoon season, awareness campaigns should be launched at local level by involving
farming community, local masses, women, youth and civil society to conserve and store therain water in their agricultural fields, ponds, wells, channel streams, and other water
structures for future purposes. Simultaneously, afforestation programmes should belaunched during the rainy season by involving farming community and local people. If thesame practice is continued up to some series of years, the number of plants and naturalvegetation area will increase to maintain the ecological balance and to recharge and toseepage the rain water into the lower part of the soil.
Conclusion
In so far as the study region is concerned, water scarcity is a very serious and challenging issue
that is being faced by not only the Mahoba district of Bundelkhand region but by almost various
parts of the Bundelkhand region. The ground water resources are the key and main natural
resources on which the entire population is surviving. It is the main and the sole most importantnatural resource that plays an important role in the rural economy of a particular area. However,
due to the exerting pressure of population of human and livestock, high rate of urbanization andindustrialization, expansion in agriculture land and domestic demands of water supply etc. are
the major factors for surface and ground water depletion. Apart from the factors highlighted in
the above discussion by eliciting people’s opinion regarding their depletion. All these factors are
responsible directly or indirectly for the depletion of ground water resource and ultimately water
resources are becoming scarce commodity and the entire region is heading towards severe
water crisis.
Therefore, keeping in mind the depleting ground and surface water resources of thestudy region collective efforts should be made in order to conserve water resources. To manage
and conserve water resources in the study region farmers should be prompted to opt for
sprinkling and drip irrigation system including rain water harvesting system. Similarly, both thetraditional and modern scientific methods should also be adopted in order to conserve water
resources by involving the farming community, local people and civil society as well. The
managemant of water storage by government is largely based on modern techniques likeconstruct of big dams ratther than employing on traditional methods. Local bodies are not paying
attention to such efforts. This study also found that there was no separate provision of drinking
9water and irrigation facilities and population had to face acute drinking water in the month of May
and June. The major and prime objectives are to ensure controlled exploitation and optimum &judicious use of ground resources, to implement ground water recharge programme on a large
scale in an integrated manner and to bring over-exploited/critical blocks into safe category in atime bound manner, to effectively implement conjunctive use of surface water and ground water,
to promote efficient methods of water usage in the stressed areas, to give priority to the river
basin/watershed approach in ground water management planning and conservation. But there isan urgent need to implement and monitor its various targets by the state Govt. Though, thispolicy is not implemented fully and the govt. should instruct and monitor its function to implement
it in an effective manner by visting the fieldsfrom time to time to achieve the target fixed for the
management of water resources in the state as well as in the study region.
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