Examine the factors responsible for depleting groundwater in India. What are the steps taken by the government to mitigate such depletion of groundwater?

Factors Responsible for Depleting Groundwater in India

Groundwater depletion in India is a complex issue driven by a confluence of natural and anthropogenic factors. These can be broadly categorized as follows:

• Over-extraction for Agriculture: This is the primary driver. The Green Revolution in the 1970s heavily promoted groundwater-based irrigation, leading to a surge in electric and diesel pumps. Cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane, often supported by subsidized electricity and Minimum Support Prices (MSP), in semi-arid regions exacerbates this issue. For instance, Punjab's intensive rice cultivation relies heavily on groundwater.
• Rapid Urbanization and Industrialization: Growing urban populations and expanding industrial sectors lead to increased demand for water for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes. This, coupled with inadequate infrastructure for wastewater recycling and reliance on groundwater for non-potable uses, stresses urban aquifers.
• Inefficient Irrigation Practices: Traditional flood irrigation methods result in significant water wastage. Despite advancements, the adoption of water-efficient techniques like drip and sprinkler irrigation remains insufficient in many areas.
• Climate Change and Erratic Rainfall: Altered precipitation patterns, including fewer rainy days, prolonged droughts, and erratic monsoons, directly impact groundwater recharge rates. The southwest monsoon, which contributes significantly to groundwater recharge, has become unpredictable.
• Groundwater Pollution: Contamination from industrial effluents, agricultural runoff (pesticides, fertilizers), and untreated sewage reduces the availability of usable groundwater. This effectively shrinks the accessible groundwater resource. The Ganga basin, for example, suffers from severe groundwater pollution.
• Decreased Recharge Areas: Urbanization, concretization, and encroachment on traditional water bodies and recharge zones limit the natural percolation of rainwater into the ground.
• Lack of Regulation and Enforcement: Inadequate legal frameworks and lax enforcement around groundwater extraction contribute to its overexploitation. The common-pool resource nature of groundwater often leads to a 'tragedy of the commons'.

Steps Taken by the Government to Mitigate Groundwater Depletion

Recognizing the severity of the crisis, the Indian government has launched several initiatives and policies to promote sustainable groundwater management:

1. Policy and Regulatory Frameworks:

• National Water Policy (NWP): Revised periodically (1987, 2002, 2012), the NWP emphasizes integrated water resource management, demand management, equitable distribution, and the need for decentralised water governance, including groundwater regulation. The Draft National Water Policy 2020 further calls for a shift from supply-centric to demand management.
• Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA): Established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the CGWA regulates groundwater extraction in notified areas, mandates rainwater harvesting, and monitors groundwater levels.
• National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM): Aims at comprehensive mapping and management of aquifers to provide scientific data for groundwater management plans.

2. Flagship Schemes and Programs:

• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ATAL JAL) (2019): A Rs. 6,000 crore Central Sector Scheme, partly funded by the World Bank, focusing on community participation and demand-side interventions for sustainable groundwater management in identified water-stressed areas across seven states (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh). It promotes water security plans at the Gram Panchayat level and aims to incentivize improved groundwater management.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) (2019): A time-bound, mission-mode campaign for water conservation and water security, launched in water-stressed districts. It focuses on rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional water bodies, reuse and recharge structures, watershed development, and intensive afforestation. The "Catch the Rain" campaign (2021 onwards) expands this to all districts.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Launched in 2015, it aims to "per drop, more crop" by promoting efficient irrigation technologies like micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler systems) to reduce agricultural water consumption.
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0) (2021): Focuses on universal water supply in urban areas, promoting circular economy of water through wastewater recycling, rejuvenation of water bodies, and groundwater recharge through 'Aquifer Management Plans'.

3. Other Initiatives:

• Rainwater Harvesting: Several states, like Tamil Nadu, have made rainwater harvesting mandatory. The government encourages its adoption in rural and urban areas.
• Crop Diversification: States like Punjab are incentivizing farmers to shift from water-intensive crops (paddy) to less water-demanding alternatives (maize, cotton) to reduce groundwater extraction for agriculture.
• Artificial Recharge: Construction of check dams, percolation tanks, and recharge wells to enhance the infiltration of rainwater into aquifers.
• Public Awareness and Capacity Building: Campaigns to educate farmers, industries, and urban residents about the importance of groundwater conservation and efficient water use.