(a) whether the Government has conducted any scientific study regarding depletion of ground water of the country, specially in the State of Bihar;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the action plan of the Government to tackle the depletion of ground water; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) & (b) The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2017 assessment, out of the total 6881 assessment units (Block/ Taluks/ Mandals/ watersheds/ Firkas) in the country, 1186 units in 17 States/UTs have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’ where the total Current Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource. Categorization of ‘Over Exploited’ Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas in India (2017) are given at Annexure. Bihar has 12 over-exploited units.
(c) & (d) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3(3) of the ‘Environment (Protection) Act, 1986’ for the purpose of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country. CGWA grants No Objection Certificates for ground water abstraction, in 23 States/UTs, through guidelines which are modified from time to time. Rest of the States / UTs are regulating ground water development through their own Acts, notifications or Government Orders. Further, CGWA has also appointed the District Magistrate / District Collector of each Revenue District and Regional Directors of CGWB in these States as Authorized Officers, with power to enforce compliance of NOC conditions.
As per information received from Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, the Model Building Bye Laws, 2016, has been issued for guidance of the States/UTs which has a chapter on ‘Rainwater Harvesting’. The provisions of this chapter are applicable to all the buildings. 32 States / UTs have adopted the rainwater harvesting provisions. The implementation of the rainwater harvesting policy comes within the purview of the State Government/Urban Local Body / Urban Development Authority.
Contd…P/2
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In addition, for enhancing water use efficiency, the Central Government is promoting micro-irrigation systems, Command Area Development works, Participatory Irrigation Management, recycle and reuse of water amongst others.
Further, Hon’ble Prime Minister has written a letter to all Sarpanchs on 08.06.2019 regarding the importance of water conservation and rain harvesting and exhorted them to adopt all appropriate measures to make water conservation a mass movement.
An ‘Inter Ministerial Committee’ under the Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR) has been constituted to take forward the subject of ‘Water Conservation Related Activities for Optimum Utilization of Monsoon Rainfall’ which meets from time to time to discuss the issue of water conservation. The Committee includes officers from different States/UTs. Last meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee was held on 01/05/2019.
Cabinet Secretary discussed the issue of water conservation with the Chief Secretaries of the States through video-conference on 21.05.2019.
The issue was also discussed with the concerned Ministers and officials of the State Governments by Minister, Jal Shakti in a meeting held on 11.6.2019.
Government of India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan which is a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks.
Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including conservation and artificial recharge to ground water in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility. The important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water in the country are at the following URL: http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps_to_control_water_depletion_Jun2019.pdf
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ANNEXURE
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Unstarred Question No. 4186 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 18.07.2019 regarding “Groundwater Depletion in Bihar”.
Categorization of ‘Over Exploited’ Blocks/ Mandals/ Talukas in India (2017)
S.No. States / Union Territories Total No. of Assessed Units Over-Exploited
Nos. %
States
1 Andhra Pradesh 670 45 7
2 Arunachal Pradesh 11 0 0
3 Assam 28 0 0
4 Bihar 534 12 2
5 Chattisgarh 146 0 0
6 Delhi 34 22 65
7 Goa 12 0 0
8 Gujarat 248 25 10
9 Haryana 128 78 61
10 Himachal Pradesh 8 4 50
11 Jammu & Kashmir 22 0 0
12 Jharkhand 260 3 1
13 Karnataka 176 45 26
14 Kerala 152 1 1
15 Madhya Pradesh 313 22 7
16 Maharashtra 353 11 3
17 Manipur 9 0 0
18 Meghalaya 11 0 0
19 Mizoram 26 0 0
20 Nagaland 11 0 0
21 Odisha 314 0 0
22 Punjab 138 109 79
23 Rajasthan 295 185 63
24 Sikkim 4 0 0
25 Tamil Nadu 1166 462 40
26 Telangana 584 70 12
27 Tripura 59 0 0
28 Uttar Pradesh* 830 91 11
29 Uttarakhand 18 0 0
30 West Bengal ** 268 0 0
Total States 6828 1185 17
Union Territories
1 Andaman & Nicobar 36 0 0
2 Chandigarh 1 0 0
3 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 1 0 0
4 Daman & Diu 2 0 0
5 Lakshdweep 9 0 0
6 Puducherry 4 1 25
Total UTs 53 1 2
Grand Total 6881 1186 17
Note
Blocks- Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, M.P., Manipur, Mizoram, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
Taluks -Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Mandals - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
Districts/Valley- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland
Islands - Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Firka-Tamil Nadu
Region - Puducherry
UT - Chandigarh, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
Tehsil-NCT Delhi
*Uttar Pradesh: There are total 820 block and 10 Cities
**The Ground Water resources assessment as on 2013 been considered.
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