Declining underground water level in Delhi

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Aditya

04 May, 2010

The underground water is a matter of national property. The people shall defend as a unit in preserving this asset. The underground water is the purest form of water and shall be only used for drinking and agricultural purposes.

A RECENT report released by the Central Ground Water Board (GCWB) depicted that the underground water level of Delhi is declining drastically year after year. The report unravelled the fact that Delhi's ground-water level is dipping by 2 metre per year.

Amazingly the city draws 0.47 billion cubic metre (bcm) of ground water every year but only 0.28 bcm gets recharged. The never ending demands of the growing population and changing lifestyle is to be blamed upon for the depletion. The city is about to explode with 17.5 billion people, for that the water requirement is estimated at 1028 MGD by the 10th 5 year plan.

Delhi fulfils its major water requirements from 3 sources; surface water, sub surface water (Ranny Wells, tube wells and underground water) but because of water scarcity the underground water is being exploited and contaminated.

Delhi Jal Board has assured that it will formulate strategies for recharging the ground water level but how far the policies will be effective is a matter of big concern. The Ground water which is located beneath the surface of the soil remains the Nation's most important natural resources.

Hydrogeologists consider it as the purest form of water and should be used only for drinking or irrigational purposes. Preventing this asset from depletion remains the foremost duty of the country as it also plays an important role in improvising the agriculture economy.

The Indian laws of protecting the ground water are infact directed by the international rules and regulations. Safe water is a part of Right to Life under Article 21 in our constitution but it is not a part of Right to Property. Number of laws framed in 1997 declared that underground water consumption is a matter of mutual corporation and clarity among states.

There is absence of any human right on ground water and the dwelling of underground water is illegal. Its offence can vary from mild or severe penalty to detention. There are also some other clauses mentioned related to polluting and illegal encroachment of the National Heritage.

Besides the law makers and police, the responsibility also lies upon the citizen of Delhi. The people should realise that water is a vitally important substance required for the evolution and survival of life. Now, the challenge lies before the entire country of protecting and preserving the water forms for the usage of future generations.