Lok Sabha Question No. 5039 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-25
Subject: Depleting Ground Water Level in Agra region
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Rajkumar Chahar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5039

## ANSWERED ON 25 .03 .2021

## DEPLETING GROUND WAT ER LEVEL IN AGRA REG ION

## 5039. SHRI RAJ KUMAR CHAHAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that the level of ground water in Agra region including is depleting fast and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of initiatives taken by the Government for creating check dams upon seasonal rivers wi view to increase ground water level besides creation of new water bodies in the said region;

(c) the steps taken by the Government to rejuvenate and to ensure environmental flow in the of this region; and

(d) the details of the initiatives taken to create the ravines of river Yamuna and Chambal into water bodies to store the excess water of rainy season?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) As per the information received from the Ground Water Department (GWD), Uttar Pradesh th level data collected by GWD during Pre - monsoon 2020 when compared with decadal average (2010 - 2019) indicates that a bout 94% of the wells monitored have registered decline in ground water levels .Decline of more than 4 m has been observed in all the blocks except Achhanera, Akola and Jaitpur Kalan Details in thisregard is given in Annexure .

(b)  Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  including  conservatio harvesting in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. However, the important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management o f ground water and effective implementation rain water harvesting in the country are available at the following URL:

http://jalshakti - dowr.gov.i n/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Feb2021.pdf .

A number of States have done notable work in the field of water management/conserva these, mention can be made of 'Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan' in Rajasthan, 'Sujalam Suf alam Abhiyan' in Gujarat, 'Mission Kakatiya' in Telangana, 'Neeru Chettu' in Andhra Pradesh, 'Paani Bachao, Paisa Kamao' in Punjab, 'Jal Hi Jeevan' in Haryana and ' Rajya Bhujal Sanrakshan Mission & Khet Talab Yojana' in Uttar Pradesh among others.

Central Government supports construction of water harvesting and conservation works through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Creation of chec dams is one of the permissible activities under the said scheme. As per information collected from MIS system maintained by Ministry of  Rural Development (MGNREGA), the number of  water conser and water harvesting works including expenditure for ongoing and completed works in respec (including Fatehpur S ikri) falling under Agra during 2020 - 21 (as on 23.03.2021) is given below.

| Financial   | Ongoing works   | Ongoing works          | Completed works   | Completed works        |
|-------------|-----------------|------------------------|-------------------|------------------------|
| Year        | No of works     | Expenditure (in Lakhs) | No of works       | Expenditure (in Lakhs) |
| 2020- 21    | 791             | 903.80                 | 183               | 81.29                  |

Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater -2020 has been prepared by Central Ground Water  Board  (CGWB)  in  consultation  with  States/UTs  which  is  a  macro  level  plan  indicatin structures  for  the  different  terrain  conditions  of  the  country  in cluding  estimated  cost.  The  Master  Pla envisages construction of about 190 Check Dam/ Nala Bunding/ Cement Plug in the Agra District.

- (c)For rejuvenation of river Yamuna in Agra region, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) h s taken up 'Agra Sewerage Scheme' for creation of additional 178.60 Million Litre per Day (MLD) capacity Sewage Treatment Plant at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 842.25 Crore.
- (d)  No such specific information in this regard is available in the Minis try

*****

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Unstarred Question No. 5039 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 25.03.2021 regarding 'Depleting Ground Water Level in Agra Region.

## Agra district Ground Water Level fluctuation with Mean Pre -Monsoon (2010- 2019) and Pre -monsoon 2020

| S. No.   |                | No. of   | Rise   | Rise   | Rise   | Rise   | Rise   | Rise   | Fall   | Fall   | Fall   | Fall   | Fall   | Fall   | Rise   | Rise   | Fall   | Fall   |
|----------|----------------|----------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| S. No.   | Block          | wells    | 0- 2 m | 0- 2 m | 2- 4 m | 2- 4 m | >4 m   | >4 m   | 0- 2 m | 0- 2 m | 2- 4 m | 2- 4 m | >4 m   | >4 m   | No     | %      | No     | %      |
| S. No.   | Block          | analyzed | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      | No     | %      |
| 1        | Achhanera      | 10       | 1      | 10.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 1      | 10     | 7      | 70.0   | 1      | 10.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 2 20.0 |        | 8      | 80.0   |
| 2        | Akola          | 4        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 4      | 100.0  | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0 0.0  | 4      |        | 100.0  |
| 3        | Bah            | 9        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 2      | 22.2   | 6      | 66.7   | 1      | 11.1   | 0      | 0.0    | 9      | 100.0  |
| 4        | Barauli ahir   | 3        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 33.3   | 1      | 33.3   | 1      | 33.3   | 0      | 0.0    | 3      | 100.0  |
| 5        | Bichpuri       | 2        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 50.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 1      | 50.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 2      | 100.0  |
| 6        | Etmadpur       | 6        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 16.7   | 3      | 50.0   | 2      | 33.3   | 0 0.0  |        | 6      | 100.0  |
| 7        | Fatehabad      | 10       | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 3      | 30.0   | 1      | 10.0   | 6      | 60.0   | 0 0.0  |        | 10     | 100.0  |
| 8        | Fatehpur sikri | 6        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 3      | 50.0   | 1      | 16.7   | 2      | 33.3   | 0      | 0.0    | 6      | 100.0  |
| 9        | Jagner         | 3        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 33.3   | 1      | 33.3   | 1      | 33.3   | 0      | 0.0    | 3      | 100.0  |
| 10       | Jaitpur kalan  | 4        | 0      | 0.0    | 1      | 25.0   | 1      | 25     | 2      | 50.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 2      | 50.0   | 2      | 50.0   |
| 11       | Khairagarh     | 6        | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 16.7   | 3      | 50.0   | 2      | 33.3   | 0 0.0  |        | 6      | 100.0  |
| 12       | Khandauli      | 4        | 0      | 0.0    | 1      | 25.0   | 1      | 25     | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 2      | 50.0   | 2      | 50.0   | 2      | 50.0   |
| 13       | Pinahat        | 10       | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 4      | 40.0   | 3      | 30.0   | 3      | 30.0 0 |        | 0.0    | 10     | 100.0  |
| 14       | Saiyan         | 10       | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 0      | 0.0    | 1      | 10.0   | 9      | 90.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 10     | 100.0  |
| 15       | Shamshabad     | 10       | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0.0    | 0      | 0      | 1      | 10.0   | 1      | 10.0   | 8      | 80.0   | 0      | 0.0    | 10     | 100.0  |
|          | Total          | 97       | 1      | 1      | 2      | 2      | 3      | 3      | 31     | 32     | 22     | 23     | 38     | 39     | 6      | 6      | 91     | 94     |