Methods of Improving Ground Water Potential

Methods of Improving Ground Water Potential

ABSTRACT

Throughout the world due to overpopulation, industrilization & lifestyle, demand for safe drinking water and  to maintain healthy ecosystems are leading policy makers to ask complex social & scientific questions about how to assess & manage water resources. This challenge becomes particularly difficult as policy & management objectives require scientific assessments of the potential for ground-water resources. At present, more than 60 percent Indian population depends on agriculture, which contains most productive agricultural lands in the nation. Most of the surface water in the region has been appropriated, day-by-day in every way the ground water table is reducing. The search for new water supplies & development of ground water by artificial recharge is being basic need.
With the availability of such a land for agriculture, ground water is of paramount importance in rapidly growing scenario. The effects of climatic variability on ground-water recharge are not well understood & are major deficiencies.40 percent of the total irrigation potential lies in ground water. The increase in number of wells & pump sets in the country has grown from initially negligible to more than millions.
    High stress on the ground water system causes to local declines of 2 to more than 5 m in ground water levels, in many places. Decline in levels of more than 5 meters has been observed in certain parts of the country. The Central Government provides technical & financial assistance to the States for development of use & management of ground water. Government has taken various steps, primarily towards arresting decline in ground water levels in different parts of country, & also towards the proper regulation, use & management of precious ground water resources. These measures include control & regulatory measures, for recharging of ground water, & for involving the public in conservation, protection and proper use of ground water. Government has circulated a Model Bill to most States, to panchayats also to enable them to enact suitable legislation for regulation & control of ground water. The CGWB is also implementing various schemes for raising the ground water levels. One of the important schemes being implemented by the Board is the artificial recharge of ground water, these schemes are implemented in a number of States and the results are encouraging. The Board has developed various methods & techniques for recharge of ground water.
For Successful management of ground water, it is essential to increase awareness not only of the criticality of water as a resource, but also of ways and means in which ordinary people can contribute towards its proper utilization & management. Many such mass awareness programs have been conducted by the CGWB in country. NGOs are implementing various works of artificial recharge of ground water. NGOs have done remarkable work in Jodhpur and Alwar in Rajasthan, Aurangabad & Nagar in Maharashtra, Kutch, Rajkot and Dahad in Gujarat and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. With the help of scientific techniques and various other initiatives increase in ground water can be achieved.

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