This
is the first time that aquifer mapping has been taken on such a large scale in
the Country. Advanced technologies like heli-borne geophysical surveys are
being used for mapping in certain areas. Sophisticated softwares like
RockWorks, ARC GIS, Modflow, Map Info etc have been used in preparation of
Management plans. The States selected inter-alia in the first phase include
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and
Telengana where the ground water situation has reached a critical level. Out of
this, mapping in Haryana would be completed by May, 2016. As a precursor,
pilots were launched in five States of Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu which has helped in proving the efficacy of various techniques
in aquifer mapping.
Intensive
and unregulated groundwater pumping in many areas has caused rapid and
widespread groundwater decline, including in the northern “bread basket” states
where an estimated 15% of India’s foodgrains is being produced. Out
of 6607 ground water assessment units (Blocks/ mandals / taluks etc.), 1071
units are over-exploited. An over-exploited unit means that the withdrawal of
ground water is more than the recharge in that particular unit. Additionally,
914 units are in various stages of ground water criticality.
A
review meeting on NAQUIM was taken on 10.2.2016 by Shri Shashi Shekhar,
Secretary (WR, RD&GR) in which Dr. Amarjit Singh, Special Secretary, Sh.
K.B.Biswas, Chairman CGWB and senior officers of the Ministry of Water
Resources and Central Ground Water Board participated. The programme of NAQUIM,
till December 2015, shows that an area of approximately 1.04 lakh sq.km has
been mapped and management plans have been prepared for approximately 82,000
sq.kms. Secretary (WR, RD&GR) while appreciating the efforts of CGWB in
mapping of aquifers and preparation of management plans, re-emphasized the
importance of this programme which would usher in security to sustainable level
of food grain production.
The
activities proposed for the next five years upto 2022 were also discussed.
During the period 2017-2022, an area of 14 lakh sq.km is targeted to be covered
under aquifer mapping. Further, the focus would be on use of IT tools and ITES
in monitoring of ground water levels, water quality, data processing &
analytics and data dissemination / sharing. A significant portion of the
proposed works will be outsourced which include generation of geophysical data,
geochemical data and drilling of borewells / tubewells. The outsourcing
component can be in excess of Rs. 2,500 crore for above activities.
Secretary
(WR, RD&GR) directed that a conference be organized for giving wider
publicity to NAQUIM activities to involve and create awareness about the
programme to potential players in the water sector. Ministry also plans to
conduct regional meetings henceforth so that State Governments and other
stakeholders are involved in this and other programmes of the Ministry. He also
suggested for bringing the Programme in Mission mode with with clearly defined
timelines and financial outlays.
An aquifer is
an underground layer of water-bearing rock, from which groundwater can
be extracted. The mapping would assist in estimating the quantity and
quality of ground water in an aquifer and would help in assessment of
sustainable level of ground water extraction. This would also help in making
the Country climate change resilient. Government of India has launched a
project for Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQUIM). Out of 23 lakh mappable
area of the Country, the target for the 12th Plan is 8.89 Lakh
Sq.km. This mapping is being undertaken by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) on
the scale of 1:50,000 in 3D. The final objective of the programme is to prepare
Management Plans, in consultation with stakeholders and State Governments,
which will identify the recharge and other measures to replenish the declining
trend of groundwater. This Plan would help in predicting the ground water
scenario, the recharge potential and possibilities and would also help in
educating the stakeholders in water use efficiency.
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