HYDERABAD: As summer peaks, Hyderabadis are once again turning to borewells, plumbing new depths, to extract groundwater. But, chances of finding the elixir of life are bleak — the latest data of the groundwater department of Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts presents a frightening picture indeed.
Almost exactly a year ago, if water was available at an average depth of 7.92 m, now it has plummeted to 10.72 m in the city — a drop of 2.8 m or 9 ft. Though a number of factors like scanty rainfall, geology and soil pattern play a crucial role in determining the groundwater level, the rising number of borewells across the city, coupled with inadequate rainwater harvesting over the last several years has been the single biggest cause for the sorry state of affairs.
“There is indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater. Besides, the groundwater table isn’t being recharged properly. The permitted level, to draw water, is only up to 120m, but many are drawing water from up to 250 m. There is no check on new borewells,” an official said.
If water was available at 4.20m in March 2014, it has now come down to 15.31m, a fall of over 11m, in Kulsumpura. Similarly, Nampally recorded a fall of 8.52m from last year when water was available at 5m. In Marredpally, water is available at 24.45 m, at 19.7 m in SR Nagar and 12.82m in Darulshifa. In Rangareddy district, of the 37 mandals, 33 have recorded a sharp decline in water levels.
Plumbing New Depths