Bhagwant Mann has reported encouraging signs in groundwater management, with the number of over-exploited groundwater blocks in the state declining from 115 to 110 over a two-year period, according to a study cited by The Tribune.
Bhagwant Mann: Punjab Sees Improvement in Groundwater Status
The development has been highlighted by the AAP Punjab government as an indication that efforts to improve water management and reduce dependence on groundwater are beginning to show results.
One of the key developments is the increased availability of canal water at the tail ends of irrigation networks. Better access to canal water can help farmers reduce their reliance on groundwater for agricultural activities, particularly in areas where groundwater extraction has remained high.
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One of the key developments is the increased availability of canal water at the tail ends
According to the figures shared by AAP Punjab, groundwater use for agriculture has declined in 95 blocks. The reduction is being seen as an important step towards easing pressure on the state’s rapidly depleting underground water reserves.
The study also indicates that five blocks previously categorised among the critically over-exploited areas have moved out of the list. The change points towards an improvement in groundwater conditions in these areas.
Punjab has long faced concerns over excessive groundwater extraction, largely because of the state’s agriculture-intensive economy and heavy dependence on groundwater for irrigation. In several parts of the state, farmers have traditionally relied on tube wells to meet irrigation requirements.
The growing availability of canal water at the farthest ends of irrigation networks could help address this dependence. When canal supplies reach tail-end villages more consistently, farmers have greater access to surface water and may need to operate groundwater pumps less frequently.
