Fast depleting ground water is dangerous to Agriculture of India

The agriculture sector is dependent on ground water extracted by farmers using tube wells. 89 percent ground water use is for agriculture. The agriculture dependent on surface water is less. It is very difficult to recharge ground water at every place, where as ground water got stored blow ground in centuries. As the water for agriculture is extracted in large quantities through tube wells, the water level in open wells and in tube wells bored for drinking water is lowering at a very fast rates. There are dark zones in most of the districts of India. What will happen when 95 percent ground water in an aquifer will be extracted for agriculture. The situation has further deteriorated as the natural drainage channel areas are being used for domestic and commercial buildings and development works, preventing free flow of water to the downstream areas. mining activities are also causing large scale wastage of precious water and lowering water table. The farmers may be allowed to grow less water consuming crops, but not the rice and sugar cane etc. it is high time that Modi Govt may bring a legislation for stoppage of extracting ground water for agriculture etc and disallowing sowing of high water consuming crops dependent on ground water.

It is my perception that if the unplanned and unrestricted use of ground water is not checked by strict laws in India, then fast depleting ground water may reach to a stage when no ground water will be available for any human use like agriculture, drinking etc in most of the India. Then India has to purchase food grains from countries having surplus food grains like USA. Is India is willing to accept that situation?

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Taxonomy

• Irrigation
• Agriculture
• Water Supply
• India

3 Answers

1. INDIA REQUIRES PROPER WATER MANAGEMENT

2. The Cycle of exploitation is endless.. despite available technology and expertise but where are the visionaries and leadership?

   Many would know how to optimise the exploitation of ground water, how to ensure recharge of ground water, how to optimise use of water in agriculture and how to put surface waters to better use; but who cares and who can plan!

   1 Comment

   1. The present situation proves an idiom that everybody rises to his/ her level of incompetency. This is applicable to politicians, bureaucrats and technocrats. The present administrative system do not welcome people who wants to do basic work for welfare of common people and suggest viable solutions to the problems. Only YES men/women are welcomed. 

3. Fast depleting ground water is dangerous to Agriculture of India: Welcome Nice thinking to safeguard water to comming generation. One need to look forward for Innovations and extension for improvised irrigation and drainage performance and services, considering altogether all related aspects in a holistic manner through better service delivery in the interest of state and overall national water and food security point of view. Authority to manage water is not only for allocation of available water and collection of water charges but need to approach the issue holistically. One should not try to tackle this as a single prospect in isolation; It needs to take into consideration for water allocation the virtual water concept, more crop for each drop of water approaches, pollution control measures etc. and provide infrastructure arrangements like cold storage transporting facility for marketing, IT infrastructure for market value trading facility for generating maximum value for water Further allowing farmers to grow only less water consuming crops, but not the rice and sugar cane etc. is not a practically a feasible suggestion and food security shall be given foremost importance. For other Social needs like automobile manufacturing, luxury items requiring more water need some restriction. One needs to remember that in countries with more fresh water per capita than India; the outflow of virtual water globally is less compared to that from INDIA. In the interest of food security virtual water concept need to be given its importance. s s rajagopal Ex Director,tAMIL NADU STATE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

   2 Comments

   1. When l.b. Sastri was PM of iIndia decades back, he pleaded with all Indians to forego one meal of rice a week substituting it with wheat which was in abundance. Some such change in mindset of people, particularly south indians to change over from water guzzling rice to wheat is called for. Particularly in farms where ground water is used for irrigating, rice growing should be banned. Some subsidy/incentive should be given to those who changeover from rice to other crops like millets/wheat which demand less water. In fact low water consuming millets are making headway as nutritious diet with many starting to consume them on decidedly a better staple food contributing to better health.

   2. Your ideas are welcome. I am not of the opinion that the high water consuming crops should not be shown anywhere in India. I am saying that where the high water consuming crops are consuming ground water, they shall be banned there. In areas of excessive surface water availability and in surface water canal commands, sowing of high water consuming crops may be permitted in selected areas. Opium is not permitted by the union and state govt's to all the cultivators. Only selected cultivators in selected acreage are permitted by the govt. to sow opium. Similarly, I am suggesting that the Govt of India must evolve a criteria that in India in which area rice, sugarcane and other high water consuming crops can be permitted to be grown. It can not be left to the cultivators alone, when in most parts of the country the water table steadily and fast is lowering down. If you continue to grow rice, sugarcane, etc in such areas, than one day , this ground water will finish and then you will not have even drinking water in such areas. Do you or any other Indian is willing to welcome such a situation in India. Of course our vote hungry governments may or may not welcome such a situation ?