In India, water tables are being depleted, threatening the water resources of the country. An article published this month in the scientific journal Nature states that in six years, from 2002 to 2008, reserves of groundwater in three regions of northern India, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, have decreased by 109 billion cubic meters, or one tenth of annual reserves of the country.
India is trapped between ever-rising consumption and declining reserves. For forty years, farmers have turned to the exploitation of groundwater which is free and abundant, even in times of drought. They need not ask permission for its use. In the absence of legislation and control authorities, 19 million wells have been drilled.
This water, which constitutes 38.5 percent of the resources available, is invaluable. A few minutes of altering groundwater depths take years to replenish. In arid or semi-arid areas like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan, more than half of the districts are classified as being in a critical, semi-critical, or overexploited state. This shortage led farmers to dig even deeper wells. To top that, global warming reduces the chances for renewal of groundwater.
Water scarcity is already causing tensions in the suburbs of large cities. The water wars have begun. Time is running out to avoid overexploitation of groundwater. While agriculture consumes 85 percent of the freshwater in the country, the situation could worsen with industrialization and urbanization in India. At current rate, India will suffer in 2050 from a deficit of 320 billion cubic meters of water per year.
Via nature
Its very alarming situation. Govt has to take necessary steps to prevent the water shortages in future and also participation of community is very important. These type of information’s would create awareness among the people. Thank you