Sustainable Development and Management of Groundwater of Chhattisgarh: An Overview

As per the assessment of the dynamic ground water resource in Gujarat the utilsable ground water resources have been assessed as 24905 MCM, after providing for natural discharge (March 2021). The annual ground water draft is 13296 MCM. The Stage of ground water development works out to be about 53%. However, this is not uniform across the state. The stage of development is exceedingly high in North Gujarat and Kachchh regions. Highly intensive development of ground water in these areas has resulted in over - exploitation leading to the decline of ground water levels, deterioration in the ground water quality and sea water intrusion in the coastal areas. The paper presents existing scenario of various supply and demand side interventions implemented in the state with their impact. Recommendations for various interventions necessary for sustainable ground water management have been made with particular emphasis on use of scientific inputs from the supply as well as demand side interventions to the community participation in planning, implementing and monitoring.

The high reliability of rural and urban settlements on groundwater in India and the individualistic nature of groundwater usage make groundwater management and governance extremely challenging. Groundwater resources development in India, even today, has progressively become synonymous with increasing the accessibility of the resource through more and more sources and meeting the growing demand through the infrastructure of distribution. Management of groundwater becomes selflimiting when the focus is on exploration for new sources, without understanding resource behaviour. On the other hand, experience has shown that bringing aquifers to the centre stage of groundwater management is important. The concept of aquifers changes the way in which communities begin to perceive groundwater and becomes the first step in developing socioecological resilience to groundwater-related vulnerability. Building resilience to groundwater-related vulnerability further includes developing a governance mechanism that strikes a balance between supply management and demand regulation through an understanding of the resource, i.e., the aquifer.Aquifer systems in India are highly diverse and complex because of the variation in their inherent properties such as storativity, transmissivity and groundwater quality. Aquifer vulnerability is a consequence of not only how the rampant exploitation and contamination of groundwater occur, but also how different aquifers react to these fluxes. Moreover, irrespective of the scales of groundwater accumulation and movement, micro-level analysis of aquifers becomes imperative because of the atomistic nature of groundwater access and use. A systematic hydrogeology-based approach that requires delineating aquifers, understanding the dynamics of groundwater and mapping the demand and dependence of community on the resource holds the key to decentralized groundwater governance in India. Such an approach can be undertaken through participatory monitoring, decision support and action.The inherently heterogeneous nature of aquifers and communities in western and central India demand a strategic application of mapping, characterizing and managing local aquifers through a participatory groundwater management protocol. This nuanced approach beginning with aquifers as both a resource and a system, ensures equitable, efficient and hence, the sustainable management and governance of aquifers in this region.

The Chhattisgarh state covers a total geographical area of about 135192 Sq. Km with subtropical climate, characterized by extreme summer and moderate winter having average rainfall of about 1300 mm. Physiographically, the area is characterized by three distinct landforms namely Bastar plateau in the South, the plain of Mahanadi river and its tributaries in the central part and the hills of Chhotanagpur plateau in the northern region. The major river basins in the state are Brahmani, Godavari, Ganga, Mahanadi and Narmada . The total catchment of these river basins is about 13559 kilometers. The Mahanadi Basin is the largest basin covering an area of about 76150 square kilometers out of 141589 square kilometers, nearly 4.3 percent of total geographical area of the country. Chhattisgarh has 2 percent population and 3.2 percent of total surface water resources of the country. The utilizable surface potential in the state if properly harnessed can irrigate about 4.3 million hectares area against the existing potential of 1.38 million hectare. Due to various anthropogenic activities, urbanization, industrialization etc, the quality and quantity of water have been adversely affected. The rivers Hasdeo, Indravati, Kharun, Apra etc. are polluted due to industrialization and urbanization in various parts of the Chhattisgarh. To check the pollution, proper management of solid/liquid waste of various industries is needed. Beside these, use of biofertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc should be promoted. Effective water management strategies combined with watershed treatments like soil conservation, afforestation, desilting of rivers, rainwater harvesting etc are needed to maintain the health of the river basins of Chhattisgarh. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan started by the Government of India is a highly welcome move in this direction.

Goa is drained by several rivers like Terekhol, Mandovi, Zuari, etc. and their tributaries, many of which show tidal influence and related saltwater intrusion. The surface water resources of the state have been assessed at about 8570 Mcum with 1465 Mcum utilizable resources (1125 Mcum surface water, 340 Mcum ground water). Presently, surface storages available are to the tune of 335.87 Mcum in the tanks, diversion structures such as bandharas, weirs, etc. The macro level surveys indicate ground water available is to the tune of 43.83 Mcum and utilization is to the tune of 33% which is considered as safe. Major and medium schemes like Salaulim, Tillari, Anjunem and minor irrigation schemes like Chapoli, Panchawadi, and Amthane irrigation projects cater to the agricultural needs of Goa State. The Sal-Amthane, Salauli-Kalay River Inter Linking Projects in Goa augmented the source to a tune of 156 lakh cubic meter. The paper discusses the water requirement and water resources management of Goa by 2051.