Lok Sabha Question No. 1233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-03
Subject: Decline in Water Level of Wells
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1233 ANSWERED ON 03.03.2016

## DECLINE IN WATER LEVEL OF WELLS

## 1233.        SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has revealed that 56% of the wells which were analysed to keep a tap on ground water level, showed decline in its level as compared to the average of preceding ten years period;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether it is a fact that 90% of the waste water discharge in rivers does not meet environmental norms while 65% rain water runs off, goes into sea which is a major waste; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the necessary steps taken by the Government to harness the ground water through various means including rainwater harvesting?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION

(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)

(a) & (b) Central Ground Water Board has informed that their ground water monitoring data for pre-monsoon 2015, compared with decadal mean of pre-monsoon (2005-2014), indicates that out of the total wells analyzed, around 47% of the wells are showing decline in ground water level in various parts of the Country.  State-wise details are given at Annexure .

(c) & (d) India receives an average rainfall of about 1170 mm which corresponds to an annual precipitation of about 4000 BCM (Billion Cubic Metre) including snowfall. However, there is considerable variation in rainfall both temporally and spatially. Nearly 75% of this i.e., 3000 BCM occurs during the monsoon season is confined to  3  to  4  month  (June to September) in a year.  After accounting for evaporation and evapo-transpiration, the average  annual  water  availability  in  the  Country  has  been  assessed  as  1869  BCM.  It  has  been  estimated  that owing to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water is 1123 BCM, which comprises of 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground water resources. As per assessment made by the Central Water Commission (CWC) in 2010, the live storage capacity of completed project is 253.388 BCM. As per assessment conducted by Central Pollution Control

Board (CPCB) in 2015, the sewage generation and treatment capacity for Urban Population of India for the year is  estimated  to  be  62,000  MLD  (Million  Litres  per  Day)  approximately  against  sewage  treatment  capacity  of 23,277 MLD with 816 STPs(Sewage Treatment Plants).

Central Government has taken several steps emphasizing rain water harvesting measures in various parts of the Country as under:

- The National Water Policy (2012) formulated by this Ministry, inter-alia, advocates conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through rain water harvesting, direct use of rainfall and other management measures. The National Water Policy (2012) has been forwarded to all State Governments/ UTs and concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central Government for appropriate action.
- Further, this Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground water legislation for its regulation and development which includes provision of rain water harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.  31 States/UTs  have  made  rain  water  harvesting  mandatory  by  enacting  laws  or  by  formulating  rules  & regulations or by including provisions in Building bye-laws or through suitable Government Orders.
- CGWB has also prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to  Ground Water  in  India'  during  2013,  involving  ground  water  scientists/experts.    The  Master  Plan  envisages construction  of  1.11  crore  rain  water  harvesting  and  artificial  recharge  structures  in  the  Country  at  an estimated cost of  Rs. 79,178 Crores to harness 85 BCM (Billion Cubic Metre) of water.  The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose.  The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.
- As per Schedule-I of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment ground water constitute a special focus area for  MGNREGA  works  and  about  2/3 rd of  the  expenditure  is  directly  related  to  construction  of  water harvesting structures.
- Besides, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has issued directives to the Chief Secretaries of all States and the Administrators of all UTs to take measures to promote/adopt artificial recharge to ground water / rain water harvesting.
- CGWB has been organizing mass awareness programmes in the Country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.
- CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme during XII Plan, under the scheme of Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation.    The  Aquifer  Mapping  is  aimed  at  delineating  aquifer disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/area specific ground water management plans. These  management  plans  will  be  shared  with  the  respective  State  Governments  for  taking  appropriate measures.

*****

Annexure  referred  in  reply  to  part  a  &  b  of Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  1233 answered  on 03.03.2016 regarding 'Decline in Water Level of Wells'

STATE-WISE DECADAL WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATION WITH MEAN PRE-MONSOON (2005 TO 2014) AND PRE-MONSOON 2015

| S.No.   | Name of State/UT    | Number of Wells Analysed   | Wells Showing Rise   | Wells Showing Rise   | Wells Showing Fall   | Wells Showing Fall   |
|---------|---------------------|----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|         |                     |                            | No.                  | %                    | No.                  | %                    |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh      | 731                        | 264                  | 36                   | 456                  | 62                   |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh   | 12                         | 6                    | 50                   | 6                    | 50                   |
| 3       | Assam               | 187                        | 83                   | 44                   | 104                  | 56                   |
| 4       | Bihar               | 477                        | 255                  | 53                   | 217                  | 45                   |
| 5       | Chandigarh          | 11                         | 3                    | 27                   | 8                    | 73                   |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh        | 560                        | 322                  | 58                   | 231                  | 41                   |
| 7       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 11                         | 5                    | 45                   | 6                    | 55                   |
| 8       | Daman &Diu          | 7                          | 1                    | 14                   | 6                    | 86                   |
| 9       | Delhi               | 114                        | 42                   | 37                   | 72                   | 63                   |
| 10      | Goa                 | 41                         | 24                   | 59                   | 17                   | 41                   |
| 11      | Gujarat             | 769                        | 349                  | 45                   | 414                  | 54                   |
| 12      | Haryana             | 313                        | 128                  | 41                   | 185                  | 59                   |
| 13      | Himachal Pradesh    | 87                         | 57                   | 66                   | 30                   | 34                   |
| 14      | Jammu &Kashmir      | 224                        | 195                  | 87                   | 29                   | 13                   |
| 15      | Jharkhand           | 147                        | 69                   | 47                   | 78                   | 53                   |
| 16      | Karnataka           | 1369                       | 835                  | 61                   | 511                  | 37                   |
| 17      | Kerala              | 1151                       | 686                  | 60                   | 461                  | 40                   |
| 18      | Madhya Pradesh      | 1303                       | 764                  | 59                   | 537                  | 41                   |
| 19      | Maharashtra         | 1400                       | 729                  | 52                   | 667                  | 48                   |
| 20      | Meghalaya           | 17                         | 4                    | 24                   | 13                   | 76                   |
| 21      | Odisha              | 1189                       | 628                  | 53                   | 550                  | 46                   |
| 22      | Puducherry          | 4                          | 2                    | 50                   | 2                    | 50                   |
| 23      | Punjab              | 615                        | 171                  | 28                   | 432                  | 70                   |
| 24      | Rajasthan           | 779                        | 459                  | 59                   | 320                  | 41                   |
| 25      | Tamil Nadu          | 583                        | 331                  | 57                   | 252                  | 43                   |
| 26      | Telangana           | 521                        | 146                  | 28                   | 371                  | 71                   |
| 27      | Tripura             | 28                         | 15                   | 54                   | 13                   | 46                   |
| 28      | Uttar Pradesh       | 749                        | 375                  | 50                   | 372                  | 50                   |
| 29      | Uttarakhand         | 37                         | 11                   | 30                   | 26                   | 70                   |
| 30      | West Bengal         | 885                        | 472                  | 53                   | 413                  | 47                   |
|         | Total               | 14321                      | 7431                 | 52                   | 6799                 | 47                   |

Note:

91(1%) wells do not show any change in water level