Vijayawada: Musunuru mandal of Krishna district, that has witnessed an alarming drop in the groundwater levels, has been selected for the implementation of the pilot project of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a Central government initiative.
The selection of Musunuru came after the Central government, alarmed at the rapidly dipping groundwater levels in the mandal, listed it in the danger zone.
Officials say that the groundwater level has been dropped below 78 meters across the mandal as on July 3, 2019.
Nearly 5,300 farmers draw water through bore wells for their crops, which is the highest utilisation of water area across the state.
Alerted by the Central government, the district authorities started awareness programmes to sensitise the locals to save every drop of water which is crucial for the future of the mandal.
On June 19, the water level was 81.118 meters, it was 102.179 meters on May 19, in November, 2018, it was 85.981 meters and on July 3, 2018, a year ago it was at 68.6 meters below the ground level.
Going by these figures, the groundwater level has dropped over 9.40 meters in a year. This has set off alarm bells among officials.
According to officials, groundwater levels in villages surrounding Musunuru that come under Nuzividu, Bapulapadu, Agiripalli and Gannvaram mandals too are plummeting by the day.
In this Musunuru mandal, 63 varieties of crops are cultivated by the local farmers who use nearly 5,300 bore wells to draw water. Adding to this, almost 30 per cent of the palm oil crop produced in the state, which requires a large quantity of water, is cultivated in the mandal. Moreover, perennial crops like sugar cane, banana and paddy are also cultivated in this mandal. This means that the farmers in this mandal draw water 365 days of the year.
Groundwater department director A. Varaprasad Rao told this correspondent that to overcome the present situation in Musunuru mandal and its surrounding villages, the entire quantum of water through rainfall should be captured and all the 83 reservoirs in the mandal limits be restored or rejuvenated.
He said that farmers must develop the water ponds in their fields and increase the number of dug wells.
The existing bore wells and check dams should be used as rechargers, Mr Rao said. He also suggested implementing at least one day crop holiday in the mandal. Mr Rao also suggested that farmers can turn to another crop that gives the same income as palm oil crop.
