16 blocks in Jaipur 'overexploit' groundwater resources: Report

JAIPUR: Sixteen blocks in Jaipur district have been categorised as 'overexploited' in terms of groundwater resources, with Govindgarh and Jhotwara blocks showing an alarming water table depletion level by 25m between 2020 and 2023. This was revealed by a comprehensive report submitted by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) to the jal shakti ministry.The report said the district can suffer from a severe water crisis after just one bad monsoon.
The uncontrolled proliferation of illicit borewells at industrial units and those for irrigating agricultural land has led to the rapid depletion and desiccation of groundwater aquifers. The report further stated that the district used 2.25 litres of groundwater against a recharge of 1 litre in 2023. It also highlighted that 99% of the total irrigated land of 2.80 lakh hectares relied on groundwater for the same year.
The blocks exerting immense stress on the district's water resources are Govindgarh, Jhotwara, Kotputli, Amber Rural, and Shahpura. Govindgarh alone has 40,000 hectares of irrigated land, followed by Jhotwara and Kotputli, which are exclusively utilising groundwater for industrial purposes, according to the report.

'Urbanisation has resulted in overutilisation of water'
"These blocks have undergone rapid urbanisation, leading to the overutilisation of water for the past 20 years. Moreover, the shift from traditional crops to water-intensive crops to meet the burgeoning demand has witnessed a rise in unregulated borewells," said L K Sharma, head of the environmental science department at the Central University of Rajasthan.
Regulation in utilising groundwater is imperative for future generations, he said, "The ideal situation is when one litre of groundwater is met with the same volume of recharge; otherwise, there will be a severe water crisis in the state capital," Sharma added.
Other blocks facing depletion include Phagi, Jalsoo, Sanganer Rural, Bassi, Jamwaramgarh, Sambhar, Chaksu, Viratnagar, Dudu, Jaipur Urban, and Paota. Jaipur has been reporting deficient rainfall for the past three years, exacerbating the groundwater situation.
The district, which has limited water resources, should not promote extensive water consuming industries within the region, as per the Master Plan of Jaipur, 2025.
"Similarly, water polluting industries are not to be permitted within a distance of 10km from a natural water channel or water body. On the contrary, the concerned bodies, including the RIICO, have granted permissions to industrial units within the stipulated distance, leading to the pollution of groundwater and surface water," a PHED source said.