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Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/039gujarat-using-72-of-its-groundwater039-parth-shastri-4681954.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | 'Gujarat using 72% of its groundwater' -Parth Shastri | Im4change.org
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'Gujarat using 72% of its groundwater' -Parth Shastri

-The Times of India

AHMEDABAD: As the state is waiting for the onset of monsoon, water management experts are worried about harnessing the maximum amount rainwater to replenish aquifers.

During a national-level workshop in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, experts said that out of 25 blocks defined by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), 23 are overexploited in the state. The worst affected are districts in north Gujarat where depletion is more than 100% - meaning that more water is extracted from the ground than is replenished.

Dr R C Jain, former chairman of CGWB and advisor to state government, said that against the national average where 62% groundwater resources are used, Gujarat uses 72%. "About 80% of this is used for irrigation. In Gujarat, the exploitation ranges from 30% to 150%. North Gujarat is especially affected," said Jain. He said Gujarat is one of seven states covered under an $1billion National Groundwater Management Improvement Program (NGMIP). Other states being Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Gujarat will get about Rs900 crore under the scheme.

Jain was speaking at a national workshop 'Groundwater Monitoring, Planning, Recharge and Sustainable Use: Village-level Participatory Approaches and Tools' organized by city-based Development Support Centre (DSC) and Western Sydney University, Australia, along with government and NGOs. Mohan Sharma, executive director, DSC, said that in a recent field trip by his organization, farmers at Dedroka village near Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha reported water availability at 1,200 feet which earlier used to be found at about 300 feetWe have started it by mapping the resources in a pilot study," he said.

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