Lok Sabha Question No. 1767 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Water Stress in Punjab
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1767

## ANSWERED ON 01.08.2024

## WATER STRESS IN PUNJAB

## 1767. DR. DHARAMVIRA GANDHI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Punjab is seventeen years away from Day Zero as stressed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Monitoring Committee;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard along with the funds allocated to Punjab to address this issue and their outcomes so far;

(c) whether the the Government proposes to rejuvenate the depleting ground water table in Punjab; and

(d) if so, the funds allocated and schemes devised to tackle the situation in Punjab?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) carries out assessment of Dynamic Ground Water Resources every year through a collaborative effort of the respective State Governments. An analysis of District-wise Decadal Water  Level  Fluctuation  with  Mean  (Post-Monsoon  2013  to  2022)  and  Post-monsoon  2023  in  respect  of Punjab reveals that about 34.65% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water levels, mostly in the range of 0.0 - 2.0 metre. Further, fall in groundwater levels have also been observed in 65.34% analysed wells which is mostly in the range of 0.0-2.0 metre. Decline of more than 4.0 metre has also been observed in some wells. The details of aforesaid data is annexed . However, groundwater being a replenishable resource gets  recharged  every  year  through  rainfall  and  other  sources  such  as  return  flow  from  irrigation,  canal seepage, recharge from surface water bodies etc. In addition, groundwater is also available in deeper aquifers below the earth.

(b)  to  (d) Water being  a  State  subject,  the  efforts  to  effectively  manage  groundwater  resources  fall  in  the mandate  of  State  Government.  The  Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State  Government through technical and financial support. Major steps taken by the Ministry to check ground water depletion in the State of Punjab are as below:

-  National Aquifer Mapping Studies have been carried out in Punjab for an area of 50,369 sq km. Based on National Aquifer Management (NAQUIM) studies, groundwater management plans have been prepared and reports have been shared with State and District Authorities for implementation.
-  NAQUIM 2.0 studies are carried out in priority areas of Ludhiana and Sangrur districts under poor quality  and  over-exploited  area  category  respectively  in  Punjab  to  provide  issue  based  scientific inputs for groundwater management.
-  Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  has  been  prepared  by  CGWB  in consultation  with  States/UTs  which  is  a  macro  level  plan  indicating  various  structures  for  the different  terrain  conditions  of  the  country  including  estimated  cost.  Master  plan  for  artificial recharge for State of Punjab covering an area of 48537 sq km has been prepared & shared with State Government.
-  Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water  legislation  for  regulation  of  its  development.  So  far,  21  States/UTs  have  adopted  and implemented the ground water legislation including Punjab.
-  34  public  interaction  programs  have  been  organized  in  various  parts  of  Punjab  in  which  3148 people participated.
-  Punjab  has  installed  1044  nos.  Digital  Water  Level  Recorder  (DWLR)  with  Telemetry  under National Hydrology Project to monitor ground water level in the State with allocation of Rs. 11.90 crores for this activity.
-  Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting has been made mandatory in all buildings above 200 sq. yds.
-  The  Punjab  Water  Resources  Regulation  and  Development  Authority  (PWRDA)  has  been established under section 3 of Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, 2020 for the  purpose  of  ensuring  conservation,  management  and  regulation  of  water  in  the  State  in accordance with the Integrated State Water Plan (ISWP).
-  Apart from this, the important steps taken by the Central Government for sustainable ground water management in the country can be seen at

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2024/07/202407167 06354487.pdf.

CGWB is implementing the Central Sector Scheme on 'Ground Water Management & Regulation' under which the funds allocated jointly (for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh UT, being a single field office) for last five years are given below:

| Year    |   Allocation (in Lakhs) |
|---------|-------------------------|
| 2023-24 |                  657.56 |
| 2022-23 |                  773.78 |
| 2021-22 |                  462.42 |
| 2020-21 |                  263.68 |
| 2019-20 |                  383.58 |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1767 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 01.08.2024 REGARDING 'WATER STRESS IN PUNJAB'.

## District-wise Decadal Water Level Fluctuation with Mean (Post-Monsoon 2013 to 2022) and Postmonsoon 2023 in respect of Punjab

| Sr. No.   | District Name        | No of wells analysed   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | No./Percentage of wells showing depth to water level (mbgl) in the range of   | Total No./% of Well   | Total No./% of Well   | Total No./% of Well   | Total No./% of Well   |
|-----------|----------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| Sr. No.   | District Name        |                        |                                                                               |                                                                               | Rise                                                                          | Rise                                                                          | Rise                                                                          |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               | Fall                                                                          | Fall                                                                          | Fall                                                                          | Fall                                                                          | Rise                  | Rise                  | Fall                  | Fall                  |
| Sr. No.   | District Name        |                        | 0 to                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 2                                                                             | to 4                                                                          | >                                                                             | 4                                                                             | 0                                                                             | to 2                                                                          | 2                                                                             | to 4                                                                          | >                                                                             | 4                                                                             | No.                   |                       | %No.                  | %                     |
| Sr. No.   | District Name        |                        | 0 to                                                                          | 2                                                                             | No.                                                                           | %                                                                             | No.                                                                           | %                                                                             | No.                                                                           | %                                                                             | No.                                                                           | %                                                                             | No.                                                                           | %                                                                             | No.                   |                       | %No.                  | %                     |
| 1         | Amritsar             | 6                      | No. 0                                                                         | % 0                                                                           | 1                                                                             | 16.7                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 4                                                                             | 66.7                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 16.7                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                     | 16.67                 | 5                     | 83.33                 |
| 2         | Barnala              | 3                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 3                                                                             | 100                                                                           | 0                     | 0.00                  | 3                     | 100.00                |
| 3         | Bathinda             | 16                     | 1                                                                             | 6.3                                                                           | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                                                                             | 37.5                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 6.3                                                                           | 8                                                                             | 50                                                                            | 1                     | 6.25                  | 15                    | 93.75                 |
| 4         | Faridkot             | 14                     | 4                                                                             | 28.6                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                                                                             | 42.9                                                                          | 4                                                                             | 28.6                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 4                     | 28.57                 | 10                    | 71.43                 |
| 5         | Fatehgarh Sahib      | 8                      | 3                                                                             | 37.5                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 12.5                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 3                                                                             | 37.5                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 12.5                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 4                     | 50.00                 | 4                     | 50.00                 |
| 6         | Fazilka              | 10                     | 3                                                                             | 30                                                                            | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 7                                                                             | 70                                                                            | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             |                       | 30.00                 | 7                     | 70.00                 |
| 7         | Firozpur             | 3                      | 2                                                                             | 66.7                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 3 2                   | 66.67                 | 1                     | 33.33                 |
| 8         | Gurdaspur            | 11                     | 3                                                                             | 27.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                                                                             | 54.5                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 9.1                                                                           | 1                                                                             | 9.1                                                                           |                       | 27.27                 | 8                     | 72.73                 |
| 9         | Hoshiarpur           | 18                     | 11                                                                            | 61.1                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 5.6                                                                           | 1                                                                             | 5.6                                                                           | 3                                                                             | 16.7                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 11.1                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 3 13                  | 72.22                 | 5                     | 27.78                 |
| 10        | Jalandhar            | 9                      | 2                                                                             | 22.2                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 11.1                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 22.2                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 22.2                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 22.2                                                                          | 3                     | 33.33                 | 6                     | 66.67                 |
| 11        | Kapurthala           | 6                      | 2                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 3                                                                             | 50                                                                            | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 16.7                                                                          | 2                     | 33.33                 | 4                     | 66.67                 |
| 12        | Ludhiana             | 8                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 12.5                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 25                                                                            | 2                                                                             | 25                                                                            | 2                                                                             | 25                                                                            | 1                                                                             | 12.5                                                                          | 3                     | 37.50                 | 5                     | 62.50                 |
| 13        | Mansa                | 3                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 0                     | 0.00                  | 3                     | 100.00                |
| 14        | Moga                 | 5                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 20                                                                            | 2                                                                             | 40                                                                            | 2                                                                             | 40                                                                            | 0                     | 0.00                  | 5                     | 100.00                |
| 15        | Muktsar              | 8                      | 2                                                                             | 25                                                                            | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                                                                             | 75                                                                            | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 2                     | 25.00                 | 6                     | 75.00                 |
| 16        | Pathankot            | 11                     | 4                                                                             | 36.4                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                                                                             | 54.5                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 9.1                                                                           | 4                     | 36.36                 | 7                     | 63.64                 |
| 17        | Patiala              | 7                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 2                                                                             | 28.6                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 14.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 2                                                                             | 28.6                                                                          | 2                                                                             | 28.6                                                                          | 3                     | 42.86                 | 4                     | 57.14                 |
| 18        | Rupnagar             | 7                      | 5                                                                             | 71.4                                                                          | 1                                                                             | 14.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 1                                                                             | 14.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 6                     | 85.71                 | 1                     | 14.29                 |
| 19        | Sangrur              | 5                      | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 5                                                                             | 100                                                                           | 0                     | 0.00                  | 5                     | 100.00                |
| 20        | SAS Nagar            | 6                      | 3                                                                             | 50                                                                            | 1                                                                             | 16.7                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 2                                                                             | 33.3                                                                          | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 0                                                                             | 4                     | 66.67                 | 2                     | 33.33                 |
| 21        |                      |                        | 0                                                                             |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               | 0                                                                             |                                                                               |                       |                       | 3                     | 75.00                 |
| 22        | SBS Nagar TaranTaran | 4 8                    | 2                                                                             | 0 25                                                                          | 0 0                                                                           | 0 0                                                                           | 1 0                                                                           | 25 0                                                                          | 2 2                                                                           | 50 25                                                                         | 1 4                                                                           | 25 50                                                                         | 0                                                                             | 0 0                                                                           | 1 2                   | 25.00 25.00           | 6                     | 75.00                 |
|           | Total                |                        |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               |                                                                               | 61                    |                       |                       |                       |
|           |                      | 176                    | 47                                                                            | 26.7                                                                          | 8                                                                             | 4.5                                                                           | 6                                                                             | 3.4                                                                           | 64                                                                            | 36.4                                                                          | 24                                                                            | 13.6                                                                          | 27                                                                            | 15.3                                                                          |                       | 34.66                 | 115                   | 65.34                 |

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