Question

“The question of sustainability of development is becoming more complex day by day.” Examine the statement in the context of the use of underground water in India.

Answer 1

The sustainability of development is becoming more complex due to the overuse of natural resources, especially underground water. Groundwater is essential for agriculture, drinking water, and industries in India.

1. Over-extraction of groundwater: India is a major user of groundwater for agriculture, drinking, and industrial purposes. Excessive withdrawal, particularly in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, has resulted in a rapid drop of water tables.
2. Unequal and unregulated usage: Farmers in water-intensive crop-growing regions (e.g., wheat and paddy cultivation in north India) extract excessive groundwater due to subsidized electricity and lack of regulation.
3. Declining Water Quality: Excessive groundwater extraction depletes natural water supplies and promotes pollution with arsenic, fluoride, and other contaminants, rendering water unsafe for use.
4. Sustainable Water Management and Conservation: India must adopt integrated water management strategies to address the crisis of depleting water tables. This includes:
   • Rainwater Harvesting: Implementing systems to capture runoff and recharge underground aquifers.
   • Efficient Farming Techniques: Promoting drip irrigation and sprinklers to minimize water wastage in agriculture, especially for water-intensive crops.
   • Strict Regulation: Enforcing rigorous laws on borewell drilling and industrial extraction to prevent the unmonitored depletion of groundwater resources.