Gujarat’sgroundwaterscenario has remained precarious despite attempts to extend river canals to parts of Saurashtra and northGujarat indicates data tabled in the Lok Sabha.
The data ofCentral Ground Water Board(CGWB) for the states of India indicate the number of monitoring wells with water level below 10 meters (33 feet) increased by 26% in two years from 98 in November 2019 to 124 in November 2021.
In fact, the deepest water availability in 2019 was 50.6 meters (166 feet), which increased to 52.3 meters (171 feet) in 2021. Compared to other states, Gujarat’s deepest water level was 8th worst out of 32 states and UTs putting it ahead of 24. While data did not mention districts, state-based experts said parts of Mehsana,Sabarkanthaand Banaskantha have deepest water levels in Gujarat that often go below 200 feet. CGWB website indicated Gujarat has 31 talukas identified as exploited,’ 12 as critical’ and 69 as semi-critical.’
Gujarat has 532 km long Narmada canal Network and other networks to get water to water-parched areas especially Saurashtra and central Gujarat but when it comes to dark zones’ with severe groundwater depletion, the scenario has not changed much, indicate the data.