Chandigarh: In the indicators of the relatives the extent to which the exploitation of groundwater in Punjab, 33.85 billion cubic meters (BCM) is extracted for all use of the total annual content of 22.8 bcm.
This adds to over-over-over-over-over 59% exploits.
Of the total 150 blocks assessed in punjab, 117 (78%) have been categorized over-exploited where annual groundwater extraction is more than extracted resources.
In accordance with the assessment together by the Central Tanah Water Council (CGWB) and the Punjab Government last year, the groundwater resources that annually extracted only 20.6 BCM.
Of the total annual extraction for all uses, 32.8 BCM (97%) is being used for irrigation and mostly enters into planting water-guzzling plants.
The State Union Minister for Jal Shakti and Food Profitting Industry Singh Patel shared these facts in the ongoing rainy season session in parliament while answering questions raised by MP Shiromani Akali Dal from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
“The stage of groundwater extraction, which is the size of the extraction of annual groundwater for all use (irrigation, industrial and domestic use) of groundwater resources that can be extracted annually is 164% in Punjab according to the assessment of 2020,” he added.
Patel also said the ‘master plan for artificial refills to groundwater – 2020’ has been prepared by CGWB in consultation with the country and UTS, showing various structures for various field conditions of the country.
In Punjab, he imagined the construction of around 11 lakh rainwater harvesting and artificial refill structures to utilize 1,200 million cubic meters (MCM) Monsun Rainfall.
Water into a subject of the country, water management initiatives, including conservation and water harvesting in this country is mainly state responsibility, said minister.
The central government has launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan in 2019, a campaign to increase water availability, including groundwater conditions, in water blocks emphasized in 256 districts in India, including 20 districts in Punjab.
The initiative by Punjabthe Minister Jal Shakti also told Lok Sabha that Punjab had taken 4,262 water conservation work and 35,809 pond renovation works under the Mahatma Gandhi rural labor insurance scheme until 30 June 2021.
Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee YOJNA (Das Development Components) in Punjab, 1,988 water harvesting structures have also been created or rejuvenated.
The state government has also built a low dam to provide irrigation facilities under the Bharat Nirman program for RS170 Crore, to help increase state water resources and assistance in capturing a declining groundwater table.
Harvesting Rainwater at the top of the building has been made mandatory in all buildings above 200 square meters by changing the building.
The Punjab government has also imposed Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Law, 2020 on 12 February 2020, and established Punjab Water Resources and Development Authority, 2020, to ensure the development, management and conservation of water resources.
The state government stated sowing rice nurseries from May 10 years and rice transplantation from June 10 and so on under the Punjab preservation of the Sub-land water law, 2009.
Rice transplantation has shifted with the emergence of the rainy season to save valuable groundwater.
In 2019, around 501,000 hectares of the area were covered under rice seeding (DSR), which increased by 2020-21 to 554.29 thousand hectares.
In addition, short duration varieties such as PR 126 are also promoted.
PB: ground water extraction is 59% more than the annual content
