Amid an intense heatwave, water scarcity has compounded the difficulties faced by Delhi residents.
The current situation was further exacerbated by a concerning report from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), which indicated that 99 per cent of the net annual groundwater in the national capital had been depleted.
As per The Economic Times, the report indicated that Delhi's net annual groundwater recharge in 2023 was recorded at 0.38 billion cubic meters (bcm), with only 0.34 bcm available for utilisation.
The report highlights a troubling pattern: despite diminished groundwater recharge, Delhi saw an uptick in extraction, escalating from 98.16 per cent in 2022 to 99.13 per cent in 2023. According to ET, this discrepancy indicates persistent challenges in maintaining groundwater levels throughout the city.
"Even though water is the most frequently occurring substance on earth, lack of safe drinking water is more prominent in the developing countries. Due to the increasing world population, groundwater extraction is also increasing for irrigations, industries, municipalities and urban and rural households day by day.
“During the dry season, the extensive withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation purposes lowers the water table in the aquifer and changes the chemical composition of water," the government report noted.
High levels of Chloride (>1000 mg/L) are detected in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and other locations, making these areas water quality hot spots due to high chloride content.
In 2023, there was an increase in the number of urban areas in Delhi considered 'safe' in terms of groundwater levels, rising from 12 per cent to 15 per cent from the previous year. However, the area classified as 'critical' saw a significant expansion, encompassing 35 per cent of Delhi in 2023, up from 21 per cent in 2022.
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