3 weeks ago
1
HYDERABAD
Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has called for steps to fortify groundwater governance, tighten restrictions successful over-exploited areas, amended rainwater harvesting and intensify inter-departmental regularisation of groundwater extraction.
At a gathering held present connected Friday, helium reviewed the functioning of the Groundwater Department which was attended by Irrigation Secretary E. Sridhar, elder departmental officials and hydrology experts. One of the cardinal decisions taken during the gathering was to nonstop each District Collectors to convene district-level groundwater committees to fortify the institutions and guarantee regular monitoring of extraction and recharge patterns.
Officials of the Groundwater Department explained to the Minister that the groundwater array recharge had improved importantly during 2025. The yearly recharge was estimated astatine 19.61 lakh hectare-metres compared to 18.44 lakh hectare-metres successful 2024 with an summation of astir 1.17 lakh hectare-metres. However, extraction had besides risen sharply from 8.45 lakh hectare-metres to 9.18 lakh hectare-metres during the aforesaid period.
The Minister besides ordered that each over-exploited villages identified successful the latest groundwater appraisal beryllium formally communicated to territory administrations with instructions to restrict further borewell drilling and further groundwater extraction. Officials said groundwater accent was concentrated successful 16 districts with Hyderabad itself reporting 8 mandals successful the over-exploited category.
Another important contented discussed was the request for stronger consultation with the Groundwater Department earlier approving soil mining operations. The State presently monitors groundwater levels done 1,771 piezometers, 352 reflection wells, 921 command-area reflection wells and 64 stream-flow checkpoints.
