MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES & MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI VINCENT H. PALA)
(a) & (b) The World Bank report on ‘Deep Wells and Prudence†released recently has indicated that
the era of increasing reliance on ground water for both drinking water and irrigation purposes is
approaching its limit as a number of aquifers have reached unsustainable levels of exploitation,
and year 2004 nationwide assessment found that 29 % of the blocks are in the semi-critical, critical
and over-exploited categories, with the situation of groundwater deteriorating rapidly.The indicated
management interventions are as:
Demand side measures aimed at reducing consumptive groundwater use.
Conjunctive use through better alignment of surface and groundwater resources.
Groundwater recharge enhancement through construction of physical structures.
Effective regulatory measures.
Economic instruments like pricing measures including volumetric charges, taxes and user fees.
Community management of groundwater, which can involve any mix of instruments including regulation,
property rights, and pricing.
(c) Central Ground Water Authority vide Public Notice dated 04.04.1999 has notified Municipal
Corporation Area of Ghaziabad in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, where no person can
undertake any scheme/ project of ground water development & management without permission of
the CGW Authority. Vide its Public Notice No. 5/2001 dated 27.03.2001, the CGW Authority has
directed all residential societies/ institutions/ schools/ hotels/ industrial establishments
located in the notified area of Municipal Corporation of Ghaziabad to adopt roof top rain water
harvesting system in their premises. Further vide Public Notice No. 25/2001 dated 17.1.2002,
the CGW Authority has imposed ban on abstraction of ground water for sale & supply by private
agencies/ persons from the notified area of Municipal Corporation of Ghaziabad in the Ghaziabad
district of Uttar Pradesh.
(d) The technologies adopted under the Farmers Participatory Action Research Programme (FPARP)
for increasing productivity and profitability of agriculture are micro irrigation (Drip and
Sprinkler), rain water harvesting structures (water storage tanks), soil moisture conservation
(Mulching, dead furrow, opening of furrow, tied ridging etc.), System of Rice Intensification
(SRI), Broadbed & Furrow irrigation, land leveling/configuration, precision farming irrigated
crops /dry crops, multiple use of water, use of recycled water for irrigation, application of
subsurface drips for irrigation, application of low cost drips for irrigation and application
of treadle pump technology for irrigation in shallow water table areas.
