Lok Sabha Question No. 5400 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Water Crisis in Major Cities
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5400

ANSWERED ON 25

## .0 7.2019

## WATER CRISIS IN MAJO R CITIES

## 5400. SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of the acute water crisis that Chennai is experiencing this so, the details thereof;

(b) whether there are similar situations in other major cities of India and if so the details thereof; and

(c) the measures taken by the Government in meeting the challenges of water shortage in the co short - term as well as long - term period?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) & (b) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is periodically monitoring the ground water levels thr the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells including major cities. In order to as sess the decline in water level on a long - term basis, pre - monsoon water level data collected by CGWB during pre -monsoon  2018  has  been  compared  with  the  decadal  average  (2008 - 2017).  Analysis  of  water  level  data indicates that about 56% of the wells monitore d have registered decline in ground water levels, mostly range of 0 -2 m. Decline of more than 4 m has also been observed in few pockets of some Urban are country viz. Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nasik, Pune, Kannur, Ranchi, Dhan bad, Indore, Gwalior, Faridabad,  Chandigarh,  Coimbatore,  Madurai,  Dehradun,  Jaipur,  Jodhpur,  Bhubaneswar,  Allahab Lucknow.  In  Chennai,  about  85%  of  the  wells  monitored  have  registered  decline  in  ground  wat mostly in the range of 0 -2 m.

Central Water Commission monitors live storage status of 91 reservoirs of the country basis and is issuing weekly bulletin. The total live storage capacity of these 91 reservoirs which is about 63% of the total live storage capacit y of 257.812 BCM estimated to have been created in th country. As per reservoir storage bulletin dated 18.07.2019 , live storage available in these reservoirs is 39.319 BCM, which is24% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage durin g correspon ing period of last year was 32% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 28% of capacity of these reservoirs. In Tamil Nadu, CWC monitors live storage status of 6 reservoirs wh live storag e capacity of 4.23 BCM. As per Reservoir Storage Bulletin dated 18.07.2019, the total available in these reservoirs is 0.6 BCM which is 14% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs storage  during  corresponding  period  of  last  yea r  was  74%  and  average  storage  of  last  ten  years  dur corresponding period was 39% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, the storage p country as well as in Tamil Nadu is less than the corresponding period of last year and is a lso less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

(c) Water being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation, artificial recharge to ground water and efficient management of water resources i ncluding tackling of water crisis are primarily undertaken respective  State  Governments.  In  order  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State  Government Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes. Central Government has also taken various steps to tackle water crisis in the country.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has been created by the Government of India, integrating t Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  and  Ganga  R ejuvenation,  and  the  Ministry  of  Drinking Water and Sanitation, with an aim to integrate water resources management under one umbrella issues relating to water are dealt in a holistic manner.

Central  Government  has  formulated  a  National  Perspective  Plan  (NPP)  for  Water  Res Development which envisages transfer of water from water surplus basins to water deficit basin availability of water.

For  improving  the  coverage  of  safe  drinking  water  to  rural  population,  Department  of Water  and  Sanitation  under  this  Ministry  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  States  by  providin technical and financial assistance through the National Rura l Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).

Government of India has launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transfor (AMRUT) on 25 th June, 2015 in 500 cities across the country including Chennai for a period of fiv focus on developm ent of basic urban infrastructure in these cities. One of the priority sector u Mission is water supply.

Central Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) which ai to enhance physical access of water on farm and ex pand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve water  use  efficiency,  introduce  sustainable  water  conservation  practices,  etc.  During  2016 - 17,  99  on - going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY - Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (A IBP) having ultimate  irrigation  potential  of  76.03  lakh  hectares  have  been  prioritized  in  consultation completion in phases up to December, 2019.

Central  Ground  Water  Board  is  implementing  a  nationwide  programme of  'National  Aquifer Mapping  and  Management  (NAQUIM)'  for  mapping  of  aquifers  and  development  of  aquifer  management plans to facilitate sustainable development of ground water resources.

Government of India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan which is a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions i stressed blocks.

Some of the initiatives/measures taken by Central Government to control ground water and p romote rain water harvesting/ conservation are available at the URL: http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Jun2019.pdf

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