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India’s Groundwater Challenge and the Way Forward - P S Vijay Shankar , Himanshu Kulkarni , Sunderrajan Krishnan
The groundwater crisis is acquiring alarming proportions in many parts of the country. Strategies to respond to groundwater overuse and deteriorating water quality must be based on a new approach involving typologising the resource problems and redefining the institutional structure governing groundwater. This approach is based on the notion of groundwater as common property. The complex nature of groundwater problems in India implies that a detailed understanding of regimes in different hydrogeological settings and socio-economic situations is the prerequisite for sustainable and equitable management. Further, the management strategies should be specified keeping aquifer-scales in mind. For the adoption of this new approach, reforms are needed in how we assess groundwater resources, map aquifers, monitor quality and in the legal and institutional framework for groundwater governance. A national programme of groundwater management based on this processspecific approach is needed to address the challenge.

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Conjunctive Use of Moisture, Surface and Ground Water

A new paradigm of 'Water Policy' for Rainfed Areas?

Driven by the support systems around paddy and wheat, water use in rainfed areas followed the precedence set by the irrigated areas. Absence of any management or regulation of ground water resulted in competitive digging of borewells leading to investment losses. Water in Rainfed Areas is more precious and needs a special dispensation. A separate ‘water policy for rainfed areas’ may usher a new hope and dynamism into these crisis ridden regions.

Irrigation or Critical Irrigation? ‘Secure’ water for all

• Critical / protective irrigation of rainfed crops has been in the air for long.

  • This can insulate crops and farmers from the vagaries of rainfall. It spreads the safety net wider and reduces distress.

  • It would help in achieving greater productivity levels. In crops like pulses, oilseeds and millets extending protective irrigation on a large scale has potential to realize substantial productivity gains at national level.

Why not consider irrigation water distribution network in rainfed areas as a public infrastructure?

• These investments would be far less than the capital cost of creating irrigation potential under the major and minor irrigation schemes. Considering the social, ecological and economic returns, it becomes quite logical to make these public investments with appropriate institutional arrangements and community contribution.

• Piped irrigation water supply will lead to enormous saving in water and conditional investments on such a network may be a good incentive to steer communities to pool access to groundwater.

• Efficient and low cost technologies are needed beyond drips and sprinklers for covering large areas under critical irrigation, particularly for large canopy crops like castor and pigeonpea.

Can policies focus on soil moisture management to increase effectiveness of water use?

• Building organic matter into these soils will substantially increase the water use efficiency. Improving soil structure should therefore, be part of public policy on irrigation water management in rainfed areas.

Build on the synergies among Moisture (rain water), Surface water harvesting and Ground water.

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