GUNTUR: The groundwater levels in the drought-prone Palnadu region, which had fallen to alarming levels, have increased substantially in the past three years.
The Palnadu region is 150 meters above sea level and due to its geographical conditions, it records high temperatures and less rainfall when compared to Guntur and Bapatla areas, resulting in low groundwater levels. But the situation worsened in 2018 when the groundwater levels reached an all-time low of 10.18 meters and the erstwhile Guntur district received the lowest rainfall of 396.5mm in 2018-19.
As a result, people in Macherla, Dachepalli, Veldurthi, Bollapalli and Yedlapadu mandals suffered severe water scarcity issues, especially in the summer season. When compared to 2018, the groundwater levels have increased by 2.54 meters in 2022.
The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department have taken up the construction work of community rainwater harvesting pits in 114 Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF+) villages in 57 mandals in the erstwhile district, to replenish the groundwater levels and prevent drought-like conditions.
The establishment of these community rainwater harvesting pits will help prevent flooding on roads due to heavy rains. Measures taken by the Ground Water Department by monitoring the number of borewells set up at mandal levels with imposing restrictions in specific areas, resulted in the prevention of depletion of groundwater level.
While the groundwater level was around 10.18 meters in 2018 and about 9.79 meters in 2019, it witnessed a sharp hike to 7.64 meters in 2021 and 7.58 meters in 2022.