Nellore: Depleting groundwater levels in 11 mandals are causing jitters to the farming community as well as officials of the affected mandals in Nellore district.
The average water level has plummeted by 1.63 metres in the district following rainfall deficit to the extent 46.7 mm till September this year.
The average water level was 9.74 metres in September 2017 and 11.37 metres in September 2018. The groundwater department has identified 48 critical villages, 204 overexploited villages and 109 semi-critical villages in the district in a recent study.
The water level was recorded from 15 to 20 metres in four mandals and above 20 metres in seven mandals in the upland areas. The available groundwater resources as per GEC (Groundwater resources Estimation Committee) are 88.8 tmc ft and the usage is 31.4 tmc ft.
Groundwater department officials have attributed the diminishing levels to poor rainfall during last three years. Referring to overexploitation of groundwater, a senior official of the department said the usage is 100 percent more than the recharge in several villages located in upland areas as well as a few villages close to seacoast.
In case of villages near the coast, aquaculture is being blamed for the excess drawl of groundwater. Groundwater department officials said they have recommended construction of check-dams and percolation tanks to counter the alarming drop in the groundwater levels.
However the measures will be useful only if there is no deficit in the rainfall. A senior official said they are pinning their hopes on Northeast monsoon for groundwater recharge.
