This discussion paper by Global Water Forum reviews the drivers of groundwater crisis and its consequent impact, in India .

The paper states that scanty rainfall especially during the onset of monsoons of 2012, has led to a grim water situation in the country. The existing bore wells have dried up and so have the tube wells as a consequence of over-exploitation of the ground water. In addition to this the inadequate reservoir infrastructure has added to water shortage.

With the current trends of groundwater usage, it is estimated that 60% of the resource will be under critical state in next 20 years. It will largely affect the north- western states. The onsets of irrigated agriculture in the areas that are far away from rivers have added pressure on the resource. Further the contamination of rivers by human waste has compounded the existing problem. Alongside the poor, intermittent urban water supply faces the problem of water loss caused due to leakage in the pipes.

Subsidy in power supplied to rural areas for agriculture purpose has provided enough space for the farmers to over use the resource. This has resulted in excess withdrawal and inefficient use of groundwater.

The issues of quality of groundwater, its impact on human health especially on poorer communities, the problems related to treating the resource as a public good, the difficulty in managing and regulating the resource are some of the other aspects that are highlighted in the paper.

Click here to read the full paper.