While releasing the latest ground water resource assessment for Orissa, the Directorate of Groundwater Survey and Investigation (DGSI), informed that Orissa has 16,68,914 hectare metre (HM) or 16.69 BCM of net dynamic groundwater resources available for development. Out of this, about 4.4 BCM is presently being used for various uses. This assessment had prompted Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik to say, “the average level of groundwater utilisation in our State is only 26 per cent, and there is a lot of scope for further utilisation”.
But neither the report said nor the Chief Minister mentioned about a frightening trend revealed by the latest estimation. It reveals that ground water resource has dropped by a whopping 16 percent in just six years. The earlier estimation, made in year 2004, had assessed Orissa ground water resource at 21 BCM. This belies the theory that we are underutilising ground water resources. There is no meaning in saying that we are using only 26 percent of ground water resources and thus a lot of scope still left, when our ground water resources is depleting so fast. Further, the latest assessment also reveals that use of ground water resources has increased by 42 percent than 2004 level.
Rapid fall in ground water resources and massive increase in ground water use make a deadly and devastating combination. The drop in ground water resources is cause of serious alarm. We must introspect and find out causes of such depletion, especially when the government and concerned departments continue to say that we are underutilizing our replenish-able ground water resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment