Water Scarcity Alarm:Decreasing Groundwater Level
According to the survey conducted by the Groundwater Survey and Developmental Unit, it has been revealed that the groundwater levels are decreasing every year but still the state government is claiming that due to its ambitious Jalyukt Shivaar project, many villages in Maharashtra have risen above the situation of water scarcity.
Groundwater is primarily used for irrigation, drinking, and industrial purposes. Due to growing urbanization, industrialization and population, groundwater levels in various parts of the state are declining.
As per the report, groundwater levels of 3,342 villages have decreased by 3 meters, whereas levels of around 3,430 villages have declined by 2–3 meters and levels of 7,212 villages have decreased by 2 meters. Shockingly, groundwater levels of 13, 984 have decreased by one meter. The survey was conducted this year in the month of September and October.
Maharashtra presently has 16,000 km of rivers and canals. It also has water bodies spread over 3.83 lakh hectares. Due to improper irrigation methods, inadequate recharging of groundwater, inappropriate cropping pattern has led to a decline in water levels.
Declining water levels, inadequate rainfall, drought-like situations in Maharashtra, water scarcity, the state is going through serious concern over water crisis but still, the government has been claiming that it has been successful in the implementation of Jalyukt Shivaar Yojna.
The state government has spent 7,459 crores on Jalyukt Shivaar Yojna, however, the claim by the government and the reports revealed by the survey point at two different aspects. Oppositions have Alleged corruption in the Jalyukt Shivaar. Oppositions have demanded the state government to reveal the names of the villages which have been set free from drought due to Jalyukt Shivaar.
Due to inadequate rainfall, parts of Maharashtra is facing water scarcity, the state government has been demanded to declare the drought so that adequate measures can be taken to provide enough help to the drought-prone areas.
