Hyderabad: Hyderabad has attained the dubious distinction of being among 65 critical areas in terms of groundwater exploitation in the country. Ministry of water resources has identified these areas where stringent Ground Water Regulatory Act needs to be implemented. All the 16 mandals or blocks in Greater Hyderabad (including areas in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district) were identified as over-exploited areas.
Other areas notified by the Central Ground Water Authority include areas in Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, NCT Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, warranting urgent action for regi stration of existing ground water extraction structures. “Based on the data thus generated, action for notifying these areas for regulation has been initiated,” said K.B. Biswas, chairman, Central Ground Water Board, New Delhi.
The groundwater levels in the city have been steadily falling over the last 10 years. Besides deficit rainfall, over withdrawal and concretisation of the city, scientists at Central Ground Water Department observed that the number of rainy days during the monsoons have reduced, while erratic heavy rainfall days are more.
As per the assessment of experts at Central Ground Water Board, of the total water supplied by the city Water Board, over 80-85 per cent goes into the drains or sewer lines, while only 15-20 per cent is consumed by the population.
