Large-scale paddy cultivation tells on groundwater table

It dips by one metre in 18 rural districts during March-April

As expected, paddy cultivation on a large scale during the just-concluded rabi season of 2016-17 has taken its toll on the groundwater table across Telangana with its exploitation/depletion by over 2 metres in four districts.

Although the average depletion of groundwater table between March and April this year has been recorded 1.08 metres, it has been more than that in as many as 11 out of the 30 rural districts.

According to the latest groundwater table report, its depletion has been noticed high in 18 rural districts ranging from about 1 metre to 3.24 metres.

Last year, the depletion of groundwater during March-April was only 0.72 metres and paddy cultivation was taken up in only 2.23 lakh hectares.

Grain formation stage

A comparison of the statistics of Agriculture Department on paddy cultivation during the rabi with groundwater depletion between March and April, when the crops require maximum water during the grain formation stage, has clear indication that the groundwater has been tapped to a maximum extent for paddy crop. Officials said that over 40% of the paddy cultivated in 8.66 lakh hectares (21.65 lakh acres) was under open and bore-wells.

According to the Agriculture Department officials, some extent of paddy under major, medium and minor projects and tanks was also supplemented with the groundwater during the crucial stages of the crop.

“High exploitation of the groundwater this season was very much on the expected lines as there was good monsoon replenishing the water table,” a senior official of the Agriculture Department said, adding tapping of groundwater for other crops has also been higher since rabi crops were taken up in an extent of 15.36 lakh ha (38.4 lakh acres) this year against only 6.82 lakh ha (17.05 lakh acres) last year in addition to horticulture crops.

Although the groundwater table in April this year was much higher compared to April last year with its availability at an average of 12.04 metres below the ground level against 15.08 metres last year, the exploitation has been noticed high in Adilabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Vikarabad, Nirmal, Warangal (U), Rajanna-Sircilla, Kamareddy and Siddipet districts ranging from 3.24 metres to 1.3 metres.

It was also in the range of about 1 metre in Medchal, Jangaon, Nizamabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Rangareddy and Jogulamba-Gadwal districts.

Meanwhile, the depth to water level during March-April ranged up to 48.24 metres (in Siddipet district) with Sangareddy and Ranga Reddy districts also having areas of groundwater level below 40 metres.