In Deep Trouble – Ground Water Levels Falling, No New Borewells in Stressed Areas
Government to ban new borewells in over-exploited villages as groundwater extraction outpaces recharge across Telangana
Hyderabad: With nearly half of Telangana districts experiencing a severe stress in their groundwater reserves, and the extraction outpacing recharge, the government has said that drilling of borewells in villages and mandals in 16 districts in such areas, will be stopped. Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials to also keep a close watch on groundwater extraction in the stressed areas from the already existing borewells.
Speaking at a meeting to review the ground water situation in the state, Uttam Kumar Reddy said officials must coordinate “and intensify inter-departmental regulation of groundwater extraction” and enforce “concerted measures to strengthen groundwater governance, tighten restrictions in over-exploited areas, improve rainwater harvesting.”
The review of functioning of the state ground water department was attended by irrigation secretary E. Sridhar, senior departmental officials and hydrology experts. The minister directed district collectors to convene district-level groundwater committees to strengthen monitoring of ground water extraction and recharge patterns.
Though according to the data reviewed at the meeting the state saw a significant improvement of nearly 1.17 lakh hectare metres of groundwater recharge during 2025 – rising to 19.61 lakh hectare metres from 18.44 lakh hectare metres in 2024 – the extraction too rose sharply during the same period. Officials explained that while extraction was 8.45 lakh hectare metres in 2024, it increased to 9.18 lakh hectare metres in 2025.
In effect, this meant that against an increase of 0.17 lakh hectare metres in recharge, the extraction stood at 0.73 lakh hectare metres, more than four times the actual recharge.
This being the situation, the minister ordered that a list of all over-exploited villages identified in the latest groundwater assessment be formally communicated to district administrations for action on restricting new borewells and to monitor extraction in the stressed areas.
The meeting also discussed the need for stronger consultation with the groundwater department before approving sand mining operations as excessive mining impacts surface flows which in turn affects ground water recharge. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials from ground water, irrigation, panchayat raj and industries departments to work together improve groundwater table across the state.
No more new borewells in areas where groundwater levels are falling
Groundwater levels down in 16 districts.
8 of 16 mandals in Hyderabad districts overexploited
Net extraction more than net recharge
Ground water monitoring network:
1,771 piezometers
352 observation wells
921 command-area observation wells
64 stream-flow checkpoints.
