HYDERABAD: The alarm bells are ringing. As mercury levels escalate, groundwater levels deplete, and rivers dry up, Telangana is now staring at an acute water crisis. During May this year, the average groundwater levels in the State reached 14.64 metres below ground level (mbgl) - a decline by 1.87 metres, when compared to the 12.73 mbgl in May 2018.
Sangareddy district seems to be experiencing the worst of the scenario. At present, the groundwater in the district is available at a depth of 23.97 metres, which is a fall of 7.25 mbgl when compared to March 2019. In Rangareddy, Siddipet, Medak, Sangareddy, Medchal, Bhongir, Suryapet, Mahbubnagar, Vikarabad and Jangaon districts, the water levels have gone down beyond 21 metres.
Excess extraction to blame
According to the officials of Groundwater Department, the water levels have been falling due to the undue exploitation of groundwater resources using borewells and lack of sufficient rainfall to rejuvenate the water table. As per the Water Air Land and Trees Act (WALTA), the revenue authorities are required to issue or deny permission for digging borewells in mandals. Yet, an indiscriminate digging of borewells continue to take place, and the alleged negligence of mandal revenue officers (MROs) might be to blame.
Deficit rainfall
The State received 737.4 mm rainfall in the year 2018-19 (up to May), against the normal rainfall of 877.31 mm in the period. There was a deficit of 16 per cent in the rainfall, according to officials. At least 18 out of Telangana’s 31 districts, primarily located in the central and southern parts of the State, received deficit rainfall ranging from -19.3 per cent in Suryapet to -45 per cent in Sangareddy during the said period.
24-hour power adversely affecting water levels
Compared to April last year, the groundwater level in Nalgonda district dropped by an average of 2.37 m. Numerous factors seem to have contributed to this fall. Firstly, the 24-hour power supply for the agriculture sector have ensured that the farmers end up running their bore motors continuously. This has contributed significantly to the drop. Officials opine that the decrease in forest area, deficit rainfall, sand mining, etc., have also been contributing factors to the phenomenon.
‘Decline not alarming, but cause for concern’
Though not much variation is seen when it comes to average groundwater levels in Warangal urban district compared to last year, there are places where the groundwater level had reached over 16 metres, which has become a matter of concern for the authorities. Even the average of 12.46 m groundwater level in the district is also not good news. Last year, the average groundwater level was 10.11 m. “The situation is not so alarming as off now. But it is not good to see the water level falling every passing year. It is necessary to take measures to improve water levels soon,” Groundwater Deputy Director Raji Reddy stated.
Illegal sand mining contributing to the dip
The average groundwater levels of Adilabad in April decreased to 14.18 m, a fall by more than 3 m in just a month. In March, the level recorded was 10.32 m. Most of the open wells and borewells have completely dried up, as the denizens face a severe drinking water crisis, especially in agency areas. Apart from the excess extraction of groundwater through the borewells, it is said that the illegal sand and stone mining in the area has also significantly contributed to the rapidly decreasing water table. For instance, most of the villages in Jainath, Tamsi, and Bheempur mandals are on the banks of the Penganga river. The officials have banned sand excavation in these areas, but large-scale illegal mining continues unchecked, adversely affecting the water levels. It is learnt that even borewells dug up to 300 ft are not helping the villagers find water these days.
No water even at 800 ft, say residents
Summer is nowhere near over, and hundreds of borewells and open wells have already dried up in erstwhile Medak district. Faced with a severe shortage of drinking water, locals in Sangareddy, Zahirabad, and Narayankhed areas had been drilling multiple borewells. However, most were unable to find water even at 700-800 ft. P Ramesh, who resides in Vidayanagar of Sangareddy, said that he stayed at an apartment in the colony and had recently drilled a borewell to 900 ft.
“I got a little water, but it didn’t last for long,” he said. The borewell had dried up within a week. From an avaerage of 21.95 m in May last year, the level has now gone down to 30-35 m. According to Groundwater Deputy Director K Venkateshwarlu, the unchecked usage of water is one of the primary contributing factors for the situation. “People should be told about the need to recharge water,” he stated.
1,000-ft Borewells being dug to lift water
Due to rapid depletion of groundwater, even daily activities like bathing, laundry, and dishwashing are becoming a luxury for Karimnagar’s city dwellers. In Karimnagar urban, the groundwater levels had fallen by about 2 m. It is learnt that a few apartments and gated communities in the Vidyanagar area dug borewells by nearly 1,000 ft to lift water. In fact, across the district of Karimnagar, the groundwater levels had fallen in April by an average of 0.95 m.
In March, the groundwater available was 12.17 m deep, which came down to 13.12 m. As per sources in the Groundwater Department, the levels seem to have gone down once again in May, by about 1 m. Deputy Director of the department N Hari Kumar has suggested that every household and farmland dig soak pits on their premises, in order to recharge the groundwater during rainy season.
‘Opt for crops that consume less water’
For the last six years or so, Mahbubnagar district has been in the shadow of drought. The district has not experienced heavy rains since the year 2013. Almost all tanks, canals and borewells of the district have dried up. The situation has also made the cultivation of various standing crops like paddy, maize and groundnut, a major issue for the farmers in the district.
They have already given up on the rabi crops. Besides this, the provision of 24 hours of power supply to farmers has also contributed to the depletion of groundwater levels. Even the area of cultivation has dropped to a great level in the district. According to official statistics, the groundwater levels were at 11.69 m in January last year. This has now dropped to 15.87 m. Commenting on the issue, District Agriculture Officer told Express that the farmers should opt for crops that consume less water.