Bhubaneswar: Groundwater levels have been declining in 23 of the total 30 districts in Odisha over the past five years, as informed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the state assembly on Thursday.
In a written response to a query by Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, the Chief Minister presented data on the reduction in groundwater levels across the state during this period. The Chief Minister outlined the groundwater levels (GWL) from 2020 to 2024, showing a steady depletion.
According to the data, the groundwater levels dropped by 4.94 meters in 2020, followed by a decrease of 4.91 meters in 2021. The depletion continued with a drop of 5.22 meters in 2022, 5.51 meters in 2023, 5.47 meters in 2023, and a minimal decline of -0.53 meters in 2024.
The CM also shared detailed district-wise data on groundwater levels (GWL) in meters below the ground level for all 30 districts of the state.
Focusing on Jharsuguda district, CM Majhi noted that the average groundwater level in 2014 stood at 5.22 meters below the surface. By 2024, this had risen slightly to 6.07 meters below ground level.
Despite this increase, the Chief Minister pointed out that the groundwater level in Jharsuguda has not seen a significant drop over the past decade. Based on the 2024 groundwater assessment, the water levels in this district remain within a safe range.
In response to the issue, the state government has launched two key initiatives to enhance groundwater levels: the Community Harnessing & Harvesting Rain Water Artificially from Terrace to Aquifer (CHHATA) scheme and the Artificial Recharge to Underground Aquifer (ARUA) project. These schemes, which run from the 2022-23 fiscal year to 2026-27, aim to address the issue of groundwater depletion.
Under the CHHATA scheme, rainwater harvesting has been implemented in 29,500 private buildings and 1,925 government buildings across 27 urban areas in 52 blocks.
Additionally, the ARUA scheme has set up 2,400 recharge shafts to boost groundwater levels across the state.
Furthermore, the Agriculture Department has taken steps to support groundwater replenishment. This includes the implementation of the Instream Storage Structure (ISS) project on various rivers and the construction of embankments along natural nullahs, aimed at enhancing water storage and groundwater recharge.
