Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today said that the state has registered a significant turnaround in its groundwater situation, with the latest 2026 assessment of the Central Ground Water Board showing, for the first time in decades, an improvement in groundwater levels. He said the stage of groundwater development has declined from 164% in 2022 to 152.22% in 2026, while the number of over-exploited assessment units has fallen from 117 to 110 and safe units have increased from 17 to 20.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan on Monday, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, “The latest assessment of the Central Ground Water Board provides an important validation of the sustained efforts of the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to conserve groundwater by taking canal water directly to agricultural fields.”

The Water Resources Minister said the latest groundwater data clearly reflects the impact of these interventions. “The annual groundwater extraction has declined from 28.02 BCM in 2022 to 26.32 BCM in the 2026 assessment, while the overall stage of groundwater development has also witnessed a substantial decline,” he added.

“This is a major development for Punjab. For decades, groundwater levels had been witnessing a continuous decline. For the first time, we have witnessed it rising,” said Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal.

He said Punjab has 153 groundwater assessment blocks categorised as Safe, Semi-Critical, Critical and Over-Exploited. “The latest assessment shows that several blocks that had earlier fallen in the Over-Exploited and Critical categories have improved and moved into better categories,” he added.

Giving details of the improvement, the Water Resources Minister noted 14 groundwater assessment blocks have changed their categorisation in comparison to 2025, including four blocks that have moved into the Safe category.

Arniwala Sheikh Subanpur in Fazilka has improved from Semi-Critical to Safe, with groundwater extraction declining from 73.34% in 2025 to 64.38% in 2026. Makhu in Ferozepur has moved from Semi-Critical to Safe, with extraction declining from 77.85% to 66.82%. Hajipur in Hoshiarpur has improved from Semi-Critical to Safe, with extraction declining from 81.67% to 62.16%, while Narot Jaimal Singh in Pathankot has moved from Semi-Critical to Safe, with extraction declining from 70.94% to 66.47%.

The remaining 10 blocks have also recorded improvement in their categorisation. Ferozepur has moved from Critical to Semi-Critical, with groundwater extraction declining from 94.49% to 76.66%; Mamdot has moved from Critical to Semi-Critical, with extraction declining from 99.85% to 86.59%; Gurdaspur has moved from Over-Exploited to Critical, with extraction declining from 110.70% to 92.93%; and Kahnuwan has moved from Over-Exploited to Critical, with extraction declining from 101.04% to 98.01%.

Similarly, Sri Hargobindpur has moved from Critical to Semi-Critical, with extraction declining from 95.53% to 75.54%; Bhunga from Critical to Semi-Critical, with extraction declining from 92.14% to 84.17%; Hoshiarpur-2 from Critical to Semi-Critical, with extraction declining from 97.81% to 78.53%; Mahilpur from Over-Exploited to Critical, with extraction declining from 109.86% to 92.23%; Kot Ise Khan (Dharamkot) in Moga from Over-Exploited to Critical, with extraction declining from 114.32% to 97.67%; and Aur in SBS Nagar from Critical to Semi-Critical, with extraction declining from 90.84% to 89.91%.

Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said another 95 blocks have also shown improvement to varying degrees. Consequently, 109 of the total 153 groundwater assessment blocks in Punjab have registered improvement, which he described as a significant achievement for the state.

Of these 95 blocks, three have recorded more than 30% improvement, seven have shown improvement between 20% and 30%, 23 have improved between 10% and 20%, while 62 have registered improvement between 0% and 10%.

The Water Resources Minister said the improvement in Punjab’s groundwater scenario has resulted from a combination of increased groundwater recharge and reduced groundwater extraction. “Improved utilisation of canal water, rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure, water conservation and recharge measures have collectively contributed to the positive change,” he added.

He said the large-scale restoration of canals, rehabilitation and expansion of watercourses, laying of pipelines and ensuring that canal water reaches every tail-end field have further strengthened the state’s groundwater conservation efforts.

Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said, “The objective was clear: take canal water to the fields so that farmers do not have to depend entirely on groundwater. This is not merely an irrigation intervention; it is an effort to secure Punjab’s water reserves for future generations.”

He said the groundwater situation had become particularly alarming over the years as groundwater levels in Punjab continued to decline consistently. “The Punjab Government therefore adopted a focused strategy to increase utilisation of available canal water and strengthen the canal network across the state,” he added.

Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said canal water utilisation, which was only around 26% till 2022, has now increased to 82%. “To achieve this transformation, the Punjab Government has invested around ₹7,500 crore and constructed and strengthened thousands of kilometres of watercourses and other irrigation infrastructure,” he added.

He said efficient utilisation of Punjab’s share of water stored in the state’s reservoirs has also been made a key priority. “Punjab has 1,117 canals and minors, whose utilisation historically remained considerably below their designed carrying capacity,” he added.

Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said that while the carrying capacity of the canal system is around 36,000 cusecs, Punjab has been regularly supplying around 39,000 cusecs of canal water since June 1 this year. “The increased availability of canal water has enabled farmers in several areas to undertake paddy cultivation using canal water instead of extracting groundwater through tubewells,” he added.

He said taking canal water directly to agricultural fields has simultaneously helped conserve groundwater and reduce electricity consumption, with the state recording around 16% saving in electricity due to reduced dependence on groundwater extraction. “When canal water reaches the farmer’s field, it not only saves groundwater but also reduces the electricity required for pumping. This is a direct benefit for both the farmer and Punjab’s water resources,” said Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal.

The Water Resources Minister stated farmers are now witnessing the benefits of assured canal irrigation through improved availability of water for crops, while also reducing their dependence on electricity-intensive groundwater pumping.

He said increased groundwater recharge has also contributed to the improvement, with more than 510 recharge schemes installed across the state. “These include recharge through ponds, canal-based recharge structures and kambati wells. The schemes have together contributed around 38 lakh cubic metres of recharge, which is more than the storage capacity of Siswan Dam,” he added.

Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the initiatives undertaken by the Punjab Government would further strengthen groundwater conservation and help reduce the stage of groundwater development in the coming years.

He emphasised that groundwater conservation is not merely an environmental necessity for Punjab but is directly linked with the country’s food security. “Punjab continues to make a major contribution to the Central Foodgrain Pool and has historically played a pivotal role in ensuring the country’s food security. Protecting groundwater is therefore directly connected with protecting the country’s food security,” said Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal.

He said that had the alarming depletion of groundwater continued unchecked, it could have posed a serious threat not only to Punjab’s agricultural economy but also to national food security. “The Punjab Government has therefore taken decisive steps to safeguard the state’s water resources while protecting the interests of future generations,” he added.

The Water Resources Minister said the latest groundwater findings are a source of encouragement for Punjab and strengthen the government’s resolve to further expand canal irrigation and groundwater conservation measures. “The Punjab Government under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann remains committed to sustainable water management and securing the state’s agricultural future,” he added.

Prominent among those present were Sher Singh, Chief Engineer (Canal and Groundwater), Manoj Bansal, Superintendent Engineer (Groundwater), and senior officers of the Water Resources Department.

Following the Punjab University student union elections, where news of ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan’s victory has emerged, the student team ASAP, associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, has announced that it will challenge the entire election and, specifically, the electoral eligibility of the ABVP candidate before the High Court.

ASAP said that even before the elections, it had formally informed the Punjab University administration about serious concerns about the eligibility of the ABVP candidate, academic record, alleged Unfair Means (UMC) case, eligibility to contest the elections, and documents. According to ASAP, the administration had also assured the team that the matter would be taken into cognizance, but no effective action was taken until the elections were completed.

ASAP said that the entire matter will now be placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the question will be raised as to how a candidate was allowed to contest the elections without deciding on serious objections regarding his eligibility that were already in the university’s knowledge.

“How can the result of an election where candidature was questioned before the elections be considered valid without an inquiry?”

ASAP alleged that there are serious facts concerning Ankit Bidhan’s academic and disciplinary record, which should have been considered as part of the electoral process. According to the team, Bidhan failed several examinations while pursuing LL.B. at Punjab University and also faced a case of Unfair Means, following which he was debarred from the university from 2023 to 2025.

ASAP also said that despite this, he later took admission to a PhD programme at Punjab University on the basis of an MA degree obtained from Gujarat’s Sabarmati University. The team has also raised serious questions regarding the eligibility for this admission and the validity of the related documents.

ASAP claimed that an independent and impartial inquiry into the candidate’s academic eligibility and documents was necessary, but despite these questions, he was allowed to contest the elections.

*Reference to Lyngdoh Committee Rules*

ASAP referred to the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations applicable to student elections and said that the university should have examined the candidate’s disciplinary and academic record in relation to electoral eligibility.

The team said that if a student has been debarred from the university on disciplinary grounds or there is a serious situation concerning his academic/disciplinary matters, then examination of his electoral eligibility cannot be treated as merely a formality.

“Our question is not about any particular individual, but about the fairness of the entire electoral process. If the rules are the same for all students, how can they be different for a candidate of a certain political organisation?” — ASAP

*Informed Administration Before Elections, Yet Elections Were Conducted: ASAP Team Will Now Seek Answers in Court*

ASAP said that the most serious question concerns the role of the Punjab University administration. The team claimed that before the elections, the administration had already been informed about all these objections and questions related to the documents, and the administration had said that it would look into the matter.

Despite this, the election process moved forward and voting was conducted.

ASAP said that there will now be no answer sought merely at the administrative level, but at the judicial level.

The team will soon approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court and seek that the candidate’s electoral eligibility, the documents submitted by him, and his alleged disciplinary record be subjected to a fair inquiry, and if any violation of election rules is found, an appropriate legal decision also be taken regarding the validity of the election result.

ASAP clarified that its agenda is not limited to the victory or defeat of any student organisation. The question is whether rules in university student elections will apply equally to everyone or whether different standards will be applied to some candidates on the basis of political influence.

ASAP said that if serious questions regarding a candidate’s eligibility had already been placed before the university administration before the elections, then conducting the elections without resolving them raises questions over the transparency of the entire process.

“If the documents are correct, there is no need to fear an inquiry. If the eligibility is valid, it will be proved in court as well. But it cannot be accepted that a victory is treated as the final truth even before an inquiry.”

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Monday said the latest groundwater assessment has provided Punjab with a major reason for hope, as official figures show that the state has begun reversing a crisis that successive governments allowed to deepen for decades. He said the improvement was the outcome of the Bhagwant Singh Mann government’s sustained efforts to increase canal-water utilisation, strengthen canal infrastructure and reduce Punjab’s dependence on groundwater.

Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab State Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said, “For decades, we heard about the need to save Punjab’s waters. We saw leaders calling themselves protectors of Punjab’s water, carrying symbolic tools and making emotional speeches. But the question is simple: what did they actually do? The answer is now before Punjab in the form of official data.”

Baltej Pannu said the Bhagwant Mann government had chosen a different approach by focusing on planning, infrastructure and implementation rather than slogans. The AAP government, he said, worked to ensure that Punjab utilised its own share of canal water, thereby reducing the burden on groundwater.

He said canal-water utilisation has now reached around 80% to 82%, compared with roughly 21% in 2022. “The government has activated 14,100 watercourses, restored more than 400 kilometres of defunct canals and concretised more than 1,000 kilometres of canals. Recharge points have also been developed along repaired canal infrastructure to help replenish groundwater,” he added.

Baltej Pannu said the impact of these measures is now visible in the latest groundwater assessment. “Punjab’s stage of groundwater extraction has fallen from 163.80% in 2021-22 to 156.36% in 2025 and further to 152.22% in 2025-26, representing an improvement of 11.58% points in four years. Annual groundwater extraction has also declined from around 28.01 billion cubic metres to 26.32 billion cubic metres. “11.58 percentage points may look like a number on paper, but for Punjab this means that we are finally moving in the right direction after decades of decline,” Baltej Pannu said.

He said the most encouraging aspect of the latest assessment is the improvement recorded across groundwater assessment blocks. “Out of Punjab’s 153 dark-zone blocks, 95 have shown improvement, while the number of critical blocks has fallen from 10 to 6. Four blocks have moved into the safe category, namely Arniwala in Fazilka, Makhu in Ferozepur, Hajipur in Hoshiarpur and Narot Jaimal Singh in Pathankot. Another 14 blocks have recorded significant improvement,” he added.

Baltej Pannu said groundwater recharge had also increased, with total annual recharge assessed at 19.14 billion cubic metres. “This includes 5.53 billion cubic metres through rainfall and 5.5 billion cubic metres through canal water. Canal-water recharge has increased from 4.5 billion cubic metres last year to 5.5 billion cubic metres this year,” he added.

He said the figures underline why reducing agricultural dependence on tubewells is critical for Punjab. “Of the 26.32 billion cubic metres of groundwater extracted, around 24.95 billion cubic metres is used for agriculture, while approximately 1.38 billion cubic metres is used for domestic and industrial purposes,” he added.

Baltej Pannu acknowledged that Punjab still faces a serious groundwater challenge. However, he said the direction of change was significant, with the latest assessment showing a decline in groundwater extraction and improvement in several assessment blocks. “This is the difference between governments that merely talked about Punjab’s water crisis and a government that decided to solve it. The Bhagwant Mann government has not reduced Punjab’s share of water to any other state; it has increased the utilisation of Punjab’s own canal-water share. The question the opposition must answer is: where was this water going when they were in power?” he said.

Baltej Pannu said the development was particularly important for Punjab’s next generation, as the state’s water crisis was ultimately a question of what future generations would inherit. “When history is written, our children should not ask us why we left them a desert. They should be able to say that their parents’ generation finally acted in time. The latest groundwater data gives Punjab that hope,” he said.

He said the same approach of governance, moving beyond slogans and delivering measurable outcomes, was visible in other sectors as well, including the strengthening of the Sadak Suraksha Force (SSF), government-school infrastructure and the public healthcare system. “The message from these figures is clear: if a government has the political will, Punjab’s problems can be solved. The Bhagwant Mann government has shown that commitment; now the results are beginning to speak for themselves,” Baltej Pannu said.

Under the Bhagwant Mann government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, the focus is widening from cutting off the drug supply to also catching vulnerability early. The state is working towards providing young people with help before occasional or experimental use turns into dependence or addiction. The question being asked of parents is a simple one: are there signs family members can watch out for to intervene early and prevent the child from falling into addiction? Experts say there are.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh puts it plainly: “Every child can be saved from addiction with care, compassion and conversation. As families, caregivers, and society, we must keep our eyes, ears and hearts open.” He adds, “If you find some concerning changes in someone close to you, then pay attention and respond with empathy.”

*Identifying early signs*

Addiction does not announce itself with dramatic warning signs. It tends to arrive quietly, for example, a behaviour change, old friends replaced by new ones, a secretive circle, hours spent locked away in the bathroom or a bolted room, or a sudden loss of interest in hobbies that once meant everything.

When asked, you might notice behavioural changes such as bouts of anger, emotional outbursts, etc. There may be repeated complaints from school or teachers. Sleep offers another clue. Staying awake through the night, sleeping at unusual hours, or a sudden change in routine can signal that something is wrong. Another sign is unexplained demand for money with no clear account of where it has gone or, in some cases, cash missing at home.

Neglect of appearance and hygiene, reduced appetite or weight loss, and shifts in eating habits can be other warning signs. There are physical signs too. Red or glazed eyes, unusual pupil size, drowsiness or frequent tiredness, agitation, tremors, slurred speech, poor coordination, repeated bruising, or, in more severe cases, injection marks.

However, experts caution that no single sign alone can establish drug abuse. A teenager staying up late once in a while is normal, but if someone is consistently withdrawn, secretive, or indifferent to his surroundings, and defensive at the smallest question is showing a pattern, and that’s when parents should seek help.

“One of the biggest mistakes families make is to play a waiting game before seeking help. You do not need proof that a child is using drugs to start a conversation or consult a professional. In our society, where many parents fear stigma or worry about ‘what people will say’, this hesitation can delay support. It is always better to seek guidance early than to wait until a young person is already in serious difficulty,” says Dr. Ishaan Prakash, District Nodal Psychiatrist, Sangrur. “A caring parent is the first line of defence against addiction. Be their safe place, so drugs never become their escape.”

*Interventions*

Once a pattern is noticed, how a parent responds matters as much as the noticing itself. Instead of lectures, open-ended questions, a calm and neutral tone, and genuinely listening to the child’s perspective is the way to go. A check-in as simple as, “We feel something has been bothering you; do you want to share what is going on at school these days?” can open more doors than a direct accusation ever could.

If a parent finds out that the child is into drug abuse, the instinct to react strongly is natural but often counterproductive. An emotionally charged confrontation tends to push a child further into secrecy. The recommended approach is to pause, then have a private, calm conversation aimed at understanding what is driving the behaviour. If substance abuse is suspected or disclosed, parents should avoid shaming, threatening, labelling or responding solely by punishment, as these approaches may discourage the child from seeking help. Instead, parents should listen carefully, communicate concern, and work collaboratively with the child to identify suitable support.

If you are worried about your child, or simply don’t know where to start, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Families can reach out to the Tele-MANAS helpline at 1800-89-14416 for confidential, expert guidance.