GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganja Rejuvenation

RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO. 3251

ANSWERED ON 22.07.2019

Over Exploitation of Ground Water in Karnataka

3251. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)whether Government is aware of the looming water crisis due to the over exploitation of Karnataka's ground water particularly Bengaluru;

(b)If so, names of critical zones identified in particularly the State of Karnataka, Bengaluru; and

(c)The steps taken by Government and the Central Ground Water Authority to monitor and curtail further exploitation of ground water in the State, particularly in Bengaluru city?

ANSWER

THE MINSITER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a)And (b)The Dynamic Ground Water Resources of the country are being periodically assessed jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Governments. As per the 2017 assessment, in Karnataka, out of the total 176 assessment units (Taluks), 45 units have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’ where the Annual Ground Water Extraction is more than Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource. In Bengaluru (Urban and Rural) 8 taluks have been categorised as ‘Over-exploited’. Details of ‘Over-exploited’ and ‘Critical’ units are at Annexure.

(c)Under “The Karnataka Groundwater (Regulation and control of Development and management) Act-2011” and Rules -2012, the Karnataka Groundwater Authority has been formed with headquarter at Bengaluru for having uniform rules for regulation and management of groundwater.

Government of India has launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan which is a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions in the water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India. In this regard, team of officers from Central Government along-with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti have been deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level officials to undertake suitable demand side and supply side interventions.

Further, water being a State subject, initiatives for water management including its conservation, artificial recharge and regulation of ground water in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility. However, other important initiatives taken up are available at the following URL:
http://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps_to_control_water_depletion_Jun2019.pdf

ANNEXURE

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Unstarred Question No. 3251 to be answered in Rajya Sabha on 22.07.2019 regarding “Over-Exploitation of Ground Water in Karnataka”.

Over-Exploited and Critical Taluks in Karnataka, 2017

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