Lok Sabha Question No. 4396 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-27
Subject: Water Crisis in Solapur
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4396

ANSWERED ON 27.03.2025

## WATER CRISIS IN SOLAPUR

## 4396. MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  address  the  severe  water  crisis  in  Solapur  district caused  by  irregular  rainfall,  groundwater  depletion  and  pollution  and  ensure  a  sustainable  and  adequate water supply for both urban and rural populations;

(b) the specific action taken/being taken by the Government to regulate industrial discharge and establish advanced  wastewater  treatment  facilities,  considering  the  heavy  pollution  of  the  Bhima  River  and  other water sources due to untreated industrial waste; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  a  comprehensive  plan  to  promote  rainwater  harvesting,  groundwater recharge  and  efficient  water  management  in  Solapur  district,  given  its  semi-arid  climate  and  increasing water demand and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) to (c) The dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being assessed every year from 2022 jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Nodal/Ground Water Department periodically as per  the  Ground  Water  Estimation  Committee-2015  (GEC-2015)  methodology.  As  per  the  report  of 'National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024' the total annual groundwater recharge in Solapur District of Maharashtra State has been assessed as 146513.01 Hectare Meter (Ham).

CGWB monitors groundwater levels throughout the country including Solapur, State of Maharashtra four  times  in  every  year  during  the  months  of  March/April/May,  August,  November  and  January.  It  has been observed from Depth to water level data of post-monsoon 2024 for the Solapur district of Maharashtra that about 98% of monitored wells are showing water levels in the range of 0 - 10 mbgl and about 2.0% of wells are showing depth to water levels more than 10 mbgl. The decadal fluctuation of post-monsoon 2024 with  the  mean  of  Post-monsoon  (2014-2023)  indicates  that  about  97.5%  of  monitored  wells  show  rising water level and 2.5 % of monitored wells show declining water levels.

'Water'  being  a  State  subject,  steps  for  augmentation,  conservation  and  efficient  management  of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the

efforts  of  the  State  Governments,  Union  Government  provides  technical  and  financial  assistance  to  them through various schemes and programs.

Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  completed  the  National  Aquifer  Mapping  (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of the country about 25 Lakh sq. km including Solapur. The Aquifer maps  and  management  plans  have  been  prepared  and  shared  with  the  respective  State  agencies  for implementation.  The  management  plans  include  various  water  conservation  measures  through  recharge structures.

Tier-3  level  trainings  are  being  conducted  by  CGWB  to  promote  awareness  on  the  importance  of participatory groundwater management and to aware the masses to reduce the dependence on groundwater and restore the water table. A total of 02 nos. of Tier-3 training program on local ground water issues and management was conducted at Sangola& Pandharpur talukas in Solapur district.

CGWB has prepared a Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 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. The Master Plan envisages construction of about 1.42 crore rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the country including Maharashtra. In the Master Plan, 2073 nos. recharge structures have been included for Solapur District.

Ministry of Jal Shakti vide notification dated 24.09.2020 (SO 3289) issued guidelines for regulation of  groundwater  extraction  by  industrial,  infrastructure  and  mining  projects.  Vide  notification  dated 29.03.2023  (SO  1509),  amendments  to  the  guidelines  were  issued.  Central  Ground  Water  Authority (CGWA) issues No Objection Certificate (NOC) to such projects as per these guidelines. These guidelines have pan-India applicability.

Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  -  Accelerated  Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) have included 28 projects of Maharashtra. Out of which, two projects namely Krishna Koyna Lift Irrigation Project and Sangola Branch Project are benefitting Solapur district of Maharashtra. 71.40 thousand hectare irrigation potential has been created and 14.56 lakh hectare command has been developed under these two projects since April, 2016.

Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs  (MoHUA)  has  taken  several  steps  towards  sustainable management  and  conservation  of  water  in  urban  areas  through  issuance  of  various  guidelines  and implementation  of  National  Missions  i.e.,  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation (AMRUT) & AMRUT 2.0.

Under AMRUT, 10 projects worth ₹385.53 crore taken up in Solapur district of which works worth ₹364.20  crore  have  been  physically  completed.  These  projects  include  one  water  supply  project  worth ₹71.64  crore,  3  sewerage/septage  management  project  worth  ₹304.89  crore  and  6  green  spaces  &  park projects  worth  ₹9  crore.  8,322  water  tap  connections  (new/serviced)  and  (34,115  new/serviced)  sewer connections (including households covered through Faecal Sludge and Septage Management- FSSM) have been provided through AMRUT & convergence. 18.5 Million Liter per Day (MLD) sewage treatment plant

capacity have been developed. Under AMRUT 2.0 so far, 4 water supply projects worth ₹611.07 crore have been  approved  by  MoHUA  in  Solapur  district.  Approved  projects  cover  69,815  water  tap  connections (new/serviced) and 33.8 MLD water treatment plant capacity.

Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  coordination  with  State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  has  established  a  National  Water  Quality  Monitoring Programme (NWMP) under Control of Pollution Scheme of Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, to plan policies for prevention and control of pollution. The water quality data under NWMP is utilized  for  identification  of  Polluted  River  Stretches  (PRS)  based  on  the  level  of  organic  load  which  is measured in terms of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration. Accordingly, action plan has been prepared for polluted river stretch of Bhima river which includes sewage treatment augmentation plan for Pune city discharging sewage into Bhīma river and its tributaries.

Government of India is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme from 01.04.2020 in identified water stressed areas of 8203 Gram Panchayats under 229 blocks in 80 districts of Seven States viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with an aim to arrest decline in ground water level through community led sustainable groundwater management.

National Water Mission (NWM) has been implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) since 2019 on an annual basis. NWM is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2024, 5 th in the series of JSAs, in all the districts (rural as well as urban) of the country. JSA: CTR is a convergence of various Central  Government  schemes  and  funds  like  MGNREGS,  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Per Drop More Crop, Repair, Renovation and Restoration Components under the  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY),  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management and  Planning  Authority  (CAMPA),  Finance  Commission  grants,  State  Government  schemes,  Corporate Social  Responsibility  (CSR)  funds  etc.  This  campaign  has  driven  large-scale  rainwater  harvesting, groundwater recharge and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies across urban and rural India.

Government of India enacted The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and various provisions under The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for protection of water bodies and The Central & State Pollution Control Boards are implementing the provisions of both The Water (Prevention and Control of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  &  The  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  to  prevent  and  control  pollution  of aquatic  resources.   Government  of  India  stipulated  General  discharge  standards  and  industry  specific effluent discharge standards under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 with an aim to prevent pollution in the water bodies.

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