In Pune district 9 talukas have shown a marked decrease in groundwater table
Even as the state government is gearing up to brace for summer with a drought looming large, the Groundwater Survey Development Agency (GSDA) has issued a warning about the depleting water table and have pointed out that 68 talukas in the state will be badly affected of which 10 are in Pune region itself.
"In the last three years, the groundwater levels have come down considerably. Even as there was some rainfall it is not enough to restore the groundwater where the water table has dipped by 6-9 feet. This is a matter of concern and we have already intimated the state government after our survey," said a GSDA official.The GSDA conducts detailed and systematic surveys of hydrogeological conditions in the state keeping the records from 1972.
Interestingly, even in Pune district, of the 13 talukas, 9 have shown a marked decrease in groundwater table. "While Haveli, Daund, Khed, Ambegaon, Junnar have had water levels go down by 1-3 feet, Baramati and Shirur has seen water levels reduce by 3-6 feet while Indapur and Purandar has water levels reduce by 6-9 feet in the district," said the official. The only areas which have seen the water table remain the same are Velhe, Bhor, Maval and Mulshi in the district.
With the GSDA coming out with detailed taluka wise report in January, March and May end, the officials said that they have assessed all the 353 talukas and the report for the Pune division too does not look very good. They have clearly stated that of these, 68 talukas are likely to be most affected including in Pune division. For Pune the talukas are Baramati, Indapur and Shirur, in Satara they are Khatau, Koregaon and Mann and for Solapur they are Mangalvedha, Mohol and Vasala and Jet and Kaluz for Sangli district in the region.
Having send the warnings, the state government has also said that temporary schemes to protect the water sources are being considered for which Rs 24 crore has been allocated and 1,100 structures are to be constructed to prevent further depletion.
According to the survey of last year, of the 13 talukas in the district 11 talukas showed depleted groundwater levels while in their survey of the state of the 57 talukas in the division, 23 recorded one-metre depletion in groundwater level. In nine talukas, the water level depleted by around two metre.
In two talukas, groundwater depleted by up to three metre, while Mann taluka in Satara district recorded a depletion of at least three metre. Mann is the only taluka in Maharashtra where such a large-scale depletion of groundwater level has been observed. The report stated that of the 353 talukas in Maharashtra, groundwater levels in 167 were almost constant.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ahead-of-summer-gsda-warning-on-fastdipping-water-table/1068651/0
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