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Jodhpur groundwater level rising

Jodhpur: At a time when acute water shortage has become a cause of grave concern in the desert State of Rajasthan, Jodhpur faces an alarming situation of rapid rise in groundwater level that has started seeping into houses.

While it is difficult to draw water from the ground in most parts Rajasthan, government machinery as well as many locals here, on the contrary, are forced to pump out large amount of water from wells and the basements of houses.

Groundwater level has been rising for more than a decade in at least 40 per cent of the land area in the city and in some areas, it is barely a few centimetres below the surface. The government has now start pumping out water from wells and other resources in order to maintain the water table.

“Groundwater level in several parts is rising since 1998 after the city started getting drinking water from the Rajiv Gandhi lift canal. Currently there are many areas in the city with water availability at less than five metres,” Chief Engineer of Ground Water Department (GWD) Updesh Karan Mathur said.

“Primary studies suggest that the water table was disturbed due to double or triple times increase in water inflow from canal in the Kayalana lake here from where the water is being supplied to the entire city,” Mr. Mathur said.

Mr. Mathur said that the rise in water table could also be due to the waning practice of using water from traditional sources.

“People stopped using traditional water resources after the water supply from canal, which probably helped in the rise of water table,” he said.

Experts feel that improper drainage system, leakages in pipe lines, increased water supply and other geographical factors are other reasons behind the problem. The city is now provided with about 450 lakh gallon of drinking water, which is double the supply some 10-12 years ago, a PHED official said.

“Our primary strategy is to pump out excess water, which is not potable, from the city for agricultural and other uses. Between one lakh gallon water is being supplied to the BSF and some gallons for beautification of gardens.”

The Jodhpur Development Authority (JDA) has already stopped giving permissions for digging and construction of basements.

“We are not giving permission for basements in the city and adjoining areas since February this year as a part of an action plan to control the dangerous situation,” JDA Commissioner Gaurav Goyal said adding a review of the decision will be taken after study results, expected next year.

“It is like a terror situation for us because half of the city can collapse with a slight tremor as building foundations are weakening,” local shopkeeper Harish Kumar said. -- PTI

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