Madhya Pradesh: Groundwater extraction very high in Indore, Mandsaur, Neemuch, says NAQUIM study

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The stage of groundwater extraction is very high in the districts of Indore, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Shajapur and Ujjain. Agar Malwa district has stage of ground water extraction between 90-100pc. In the districts of Barwani, Bhopal, Dewas, Niwari, Rajgarh, Tikamgarh, the stage of groundwater extraction is between 70-90pc. This is the finding of NAQUIM (National Aquifer Mapping and Management) study done in Madhya Pradesh.

As per Dynamic Ground Water Resource Estimation, 2022 out of 317 assessment units, 226 blocks are falling under safe category, 60 in semi-critical, 5 in critical and 26 in over exploited category. Almost all over exploited blocks fall in the western part of the state known as Malwa region where groundwater extraction has increased manifold during past decades.

The report adds that in Madhya Pradesh, groundwater is being developed to meet more than 65pc of irrigation requirement. Because of it being less susceptible to influences of changes in the weather phenomenon, which often cause drought and scarcity conditions, the reliance of users on these resources is progressively increasing and new challenges are threatening sustainability of groundwater resources.

The major emerging problems and issues in groundwater resources before Madhya Pradesh can be grouped in five categories. Fluoride-rich water in shallow aquifer occurs in Anuppur, Betul, Bhind, Chhattarpur, Datia, Dhar, Harda, Jabalpur, Katni, Khargone, Morena, Neemuch, Shajapur, Singrauli, Ujjain and Vidisha district. Maximum fluoride concentration has been observed in Junapani of Betul district.

In dynamic groundwater resource estimation, 2022 as many as 46 blocks of Madhya Pradesh has reported high fluoride concentration in groundwater. Concentration of nitrate in excess of 45 mg/l in water is harmful for human consumption, particularly for infants as it may cause blue eye baby disease. Very high nitrate concentration of 400 mg/l was found in the groundwater sample from Soyat village of Agar Malwa district. Under aquifer management plan, the report states that in Madhya Pradesh, there are many groundwater-related issues owing to many socio-economic and hydro-geological reasons.