What is the matter?



Researchers
have found that continuous withdrawal of groundwater through pumping depletes
the Gangetic aquifers in Northern India. However, Ganges is one of the mega-polluted
rivers globally. The water depletion during hot summer days poses a serious
threat. The surface plants, power generation units, face serious consequences
navigation along the rivers, irrigation systems, and agricultural units in our
country. A team of experts from IIT, Kharagpur, has done extensive work from
1999 to 2013. They have reported that the decrease in the groundwater level
flow imposed serious effects on the health of the rivers in India. According to
their study, the present base flow to the Ganges from the adjoining aquifers might
be a third or total of river water volume during the pre-monsoon days. Since
1970, the groundwater level has decreased by 50% due to the continuous pumping
up of the ground level water for irrigation purposes. If the extensive
withdrawal of groundwater continues then the day is not far when the Indo-Gangetic basin will get affected adversely which will decrease the food
production over time. Studies suggest that by 2050, carbohydrate-based food
will be unavailable in India for almost one-fifth of 500 million living in the
country (Nature India. 2020).




Effects of Groundwater depletion



1.    Water well problems: As the depth to the
water will increase, water needs to be lifted higher to reach the land surface.
Soon it will not be economically feasible for the country to dig into the deep
level under the ground. The cost of lowering the level of pumps will be
required which will affect the livelihood of the people who are directly
dependent on the groundwater availability for earning and sustaining.



2.  Reduction in the surface water flow: It
is not unknown that the surface water flow and the groundwater level are
interlinked. Continuous depletion of groundwater will cause a lowering of the
depth of the surface water bodies and soon the aquifers will dry up.



3.  Deterioration of the water quality:
Naturally, there is a balance between the saltwater and freshwater boundaries,
due to the continuous depletion of the groundwater level can lead to the approach of the saltwater into the areas of freshwater bodies. The drying of
aquifers will result in absence of freshwater for animals and plants with
excess saline water in the environment.



Ways for protection and conservation of
Groundwater levels



1.     
Using native plants in the landscapes and
promoting afforestation will help in the conservation of the groundwater levels.



2.     Decrease in the use of chemical
pesticides in agricultural areas will help in maintaining the quality of
water. Directly, the chemicals have an adverse effect on the food chain of the
terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna. The judicious use of chemicals will
help in the conservation of the quality of livelihood (Asoka
et al., 2017).



3.     
Prevention of irresponsible disposal of
hazardous chemicals will help in the conservation of the quality of the
groundwater.



4.     
People should stop wasting water in
houses, agricultural units, and industries. Today's conservation of water will
help us in sustaining in the coming future.



5.     
Reduction in use of freshwater and always
recycling and reusing water for multiple purposes wherever feasible.





References



Nature India. 2020. Groundwater Depletion Dries Up The Ganges In Summers. [online]
Available at: <https://www.natureasia.com/en/nindia/article/10.1038/nindia.2018.121> [Accessed 16 December 2020].