The groundwater reality

The Assessment Report, put together by the Central Ground Water Board with inputs from states, reckons the total water recharge in 2023 to be around 449.53 billion cubic metres

Prima facie, the Groundwater Resource Assessment Report 2023, released early this month, presents a reassuring picture of the state of this vital natural resource, though its fine-print also reveals some disquieting aspects concerning its indiscriminate exploitation and quality degradation in several key agricultural belts and urban centres. The report shows that groundwater recharge and the amount of extractable water have increased while its withdrawal has decreased, thereby resulting in an overall improvement in the subsurface water regime.
 

This is a welcome indication, given that groundwater is the mainstay of irrigation and drinking-water supply in most rural and urban areas. It