(Feature Image: Spatial Distribution of Uranium in Groundwater – Pre & Post Monsoon, 2024. Credit: CGWB’s Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025, Figure 26, Page 49)
This annual overview compiling reports on groundwater situation in India highlights that the contamination and depletion are rising through 2025. Most of the reports are based on Central Ground Water Board’s (CGWB’s) Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025. In NW states like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, groundwater use far exceeds recharge, driven largely by water-intensive crops and subsidized electricity. Punjab extracts over 150% of its annual recharge, with most districts now classified as overexploited. Even above-normal rainfall in Rajasthan has failed to restore aquifers, pointing to failures in recharge & water management.
At the same time, there is gradual decline in groundwater quality. Punjab reports the highest uranium contamination in the country, while fluoride, nitrate and heavy metal pollution is widespread across several states. Report from Telangana shows that monsoon recharge is increasingly pushing pollutants deeper into aquifers rather than diluting them.
The impacts are visible in terms of falling water tables, failing crops, rising farmer distress and growing public health risks. The situation warns that without urgent and wide range reforms including crop diversification and better regulation to pollution control, India risks long-term, possibly irreversible damage to one of its most critical natural resources.
Invisible Employer Groundwater, long treated as a private convenience, has quietly underpinned millions of days of casual farm work across India. As water tables fall, that “employer” is showing up less at the village gate: fewer transplanting seasons, shorter harvests and less demand for daily wage labour. The result is not only ecological stress but a mounting labour-market shock for the most precarious rural workers.
GW contamination is fuelling chronic illnesses Groundwater pollution is silent, invisible, and slow—but its damage is irreversible. With over 600 million people depending on GW every day, this is a public health emergency, not just an environmental issue. Crisis worsening The Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025, released by the CGWB, confirms that India is now confronting a multi-contaminant emergency, with several regions simultaneously exceeding safe limits.
1 Punjab ‘Early paddy transplantation likely to worsen water crisis’ Punjab is staring at faster depletion of groundwater with nearly 14 lakh tubewells likely to pump out water for irrigation after the government allowed paddy transplantation from June 1. The crop is cultivated on 31 lakh hectares in the state, of which 73 per cent is irrigated by tubewells. Since 2014, the transplantation of the water-guzzling crop usually started on June 15. Experts have advocated pushing paddy transplantation beyond June 20.
According to official data, every tubewell extracts 30.24 lakh litres of groundwater per week with an average eight hours of power supply. This means the 14 lakh tubewells are likely to pump out 4,385 billion litres of groundwater per week. PSPCL figures show 13.94 lakh tubewell connections in Punjab, a majority of which are in the districts with overexploited groundwater.
Paddy sowing area continues to expand The paddy cultivation in Punjab has been completed on 22.47 lakh ha till July 2, 2025, up from 18.09 lakh ha during the same period last year — an increase of 4.38 lakh ha.
In contrast, the area under maize cultivation, which the government has been promoting as a water-saving alternative to paddy, has seen only 66,334 ha this year till July 2, 2025 as against last year’s around 80,000 ha. The sowing of maize still continues. The total maize area is around 3 per cent of the total paddy area.
Maize: A double-edged sword for groundwater crisis Kharif maize is less water-intensive due to the monsoon season and needs just three to four irrigations throughout the season, making it one of the best crops to reduce Punjab’s reliance on groundwater. Despite its potential, the area under kharif maize has declined in recent years — 1.05 lakh ha to 1.30 lakh ha for over a decade to just around 80,000 ha in 2024 — far below than 5.5 lakh ha under the maize cultivation suggested by experts, including PAU scientists, as part of the state’s crop diversification strategy.
Maize, particularly in the kharif season, yields significantly less than paddy — about 20 to 22 quintals (dry) per acre compared to 22-25 quintals for paddy. Additionally, maize does not enjoy the government procurement support as does paddy. Despite heavy irrigation requirements, spring maize is gaining ground among farmers due to higher yields.
Govt forgot to start crop diversification projects In its 2024-25 budget, the government announced the Punjab Horticulture Advancement and Sustainable Entrepreneurship (PHASE) scheme with an allocation of Rs 5 crore. In 2023-24 budget, the government had proposed a price risk mitigation scheme titled Bhav Antar Bhugtan Yojana to cushion horticulture growers against market price fluctuations. However, neither has any work started on the ground for the two schemes nor has there been any mention of the two in the recent budget. Govt sources said that a committee was to be formed to study PHASE scheme, however, no committee has been constituted.
19 districts in dark zone: MP Sandhu MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Mar 9, 2026 said in Rajya Sabha that 19 out of the 23 districts in Punjab were classified as dark zones.
62.5% Groundwater contaminated with Uranium 62.5% of groundwater samples in Punjab exceeded the safe limit (30 ppb) for uranium following the monsoon, 53.04% before the monsoon, the highest contamination intensity recorded across the country. Haryana also reported significant levels, with 15% (18.75% in 2023) of pre-monsoon and 23.75% of post-monsoon samples above the limit, followed by Delhi, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. The Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025 by the CGWB, places Punjab & Haryana among the states most critically affected by multiple pollutants, including heavy metals and widespread agricultural run-off.
Unsafe uranium in groundwater doubles in 6 years 53.04% of groundwater samples in Punjab in 2024 had uranium levels above the prescribed safe limit of 30 parts per billion (ppb), up from 24.2% in 2019. Union minister of state for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the spike marks a significant increase from 32.6% in 2023, underlining a worsening trend. Punjab now has the highest share of uranium-contaminated groundwater samples in the country.
At the national level, 6.71% of 3,754 groundwater samples analyzed in 2024 were found to have uranium above permissible levels, up from 3.04% in 2019. Punjab’s groundwater stress remains among the highest in the country, with extraction at 156.36% of its annual recharge — the highest nationally — followed by Rajasthan (147.11%) and Haryana (136.75%). The national average stands at 60.63%.
Alarming uranium level in Bathinda groundwater High concentration of uranium has been found in GW in parts of Bathinda district, raising concerns over potential long-term health risks for resident’s dependent on borewells and hand pumps for drinking water.
2 Haryana Groundwater crisis worsened by subsidised tubewell irrigation Subsidised electricity, poor distribution of canal water, no attempt to push SRI and lack of funding for micro-irrigation means groundwater levels continue to drop as farmers drench fields in GW. Districts where subsidised electricity used for agriculture is the highest are among the most water-stressed, and also among the top 10 districts growing paddy & wheat.
GW level down 5.41m in 10 yrs Haryana has witnessed an average decline of 5.41 meters in its GW table in 10 years from 2014 to 2024, the most in Ambala, the state govt informed the Assembly on March 19, 2025 from -10.5 metres in June 2014, Ambala saw its groundwater level drop to 29.25 metres in June 2024.
The state water resources minister said in the assembly: “Haryana is a water deficit state with respect to surface and ground water resources. The ground water level in the state particularly in the freshwater zone is depleting fast. It underlines the importance of artificial recharge & water conservation.”
Groundwater extraction Haryana has an annual extractable groundwater resource of about 9.3 lakh ham, but actual extraction is estimated at around 12 lakh ham. Panipat recorded one of the highest extraction levels at 217.8%, followed by Karnal at 196.9%, Fatehabad (175.3%), Mahendragarh (156.8%), Faridabad (139.6%) and Ambala (130.1%). Some districts, however, remain in relatively safer categories. Rohtak recorded an extraction of 48.8%, Panchkula 62%, Jhajjar 72.7% and Nuh (formerly Mewat) 72.3%, indicating comparatively lower GW stress.
CGWB assessment evaluated 143 groundwater assessment units across Haryana, of which 88 (61.5%) were classified as “over-exploited”, 11 as “critical” and eight as “semi-critical”. Only 36 units (25.1%) fell in the “safe” category.
Tanks battle polluted groundwater GW pollution has led people to build underground tanks that are fed by expensive water tank services whose cost increase in summer.
3 Rajasthan 70% units overexploited despite record rain The CGWB’s Annual Report for 2024–25, based on data from June 2024 to March 2025, shows that 214 of Rajasthan’s 302 assessed groundwater units are overexploited, where extraction far exceeds recharge. Only 37 units, or 12.25%, remain in the safe category, while 21 are semi-critical and 27 critical.
Rajasthan recorded 678.4 mm rain during June-Sept 2024, or 156% of its long-period average, making it one of the wettest seasons in recent years. August alone saw the second-highest monthly rainfall in the state’s recorded history. Even so, GW levels have not recovered.
Dausa, which received the highest rainfall in the state at 1,409.4 mm in 2024, has all five of its GW blocks — Lalsot, Dausa, Bandikui, Sikrai and Mahuwa — classified as overexploited. Sawai Madhopur, the second-highest rainfall district with 1,285 mm, has four of its six blocks in the overexploited category. Heavy rainfall is not translating into groundwater recharge, exposing weaknesses in water use and management.
Barmer’s groundwater falling despite ₹1,500cr pumped in 3 years Rajasthan’s drought-prone Barmer district has the highest number of groundwater recharge structures built under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan scheme of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. The 47,000 structures consisting of rooftop rainwater harvesting, trenches, ponds, tanks and check dams from 2021-2024 were constructed at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore, according to the official dashboard for the scheme. But t here has been no increase in the groundwater levels in Barmer district, according to the reports of the CGWB. In fact, most of the monitoring stations in the district reported a decline in groundwater levels in the last decade from 2014 to 2024.
Farmers pushed into debt, distress and migration Overexploitation of groundwater over decades has pushed the levels to an irreversible state, forcing many farmers to leave agriculture as wells run dry. Initiatives like micro-irrigation and farm ponds have proven too little, too late. Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area, is racing toward a groundwater crisis. While other states have slowed water extraction, as of 2023, Rajasthan was pumping 16.74 billion cubic metres annually, 80% was used for irrigation. Farmers face failing crops, dried-up wells, and rising debts.
“None of these solutions — millets, farm ponds, sprinkler — will make a real difference,” says the scientist from the CGWB. “Politicians don’t want to upset farmers — even though irrigation wastes the most water and hits farmers the hardest” he warns.
Fluoride contamination grips over 30 districts According to a Jan 2026 CGWB report, which tested 643 groundwater samples statewide, found 41 samples exceeding the safe limit of 1.5 mg/L. The crisis spans the entire state, hitting desert regions like Barmer and Jaisalmer just as hard as developed hubs like Jaipur and Alwar. The contamination has also been recorded in Ajmer, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Nagaur, Pali, Rajsamand, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Sirohi, Tonk, and Udaipur.
“The spread across districts indicates a systemic groundwater quality concern. The solution requires at least state level intervention and mass micro mapping to avoid use of such water,” said Laxmi Kant Sharma from the Central University of Rajasthan’s dept of Environmental Science. While schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission aim to expand safe piped water and install purification units in high-risk zones, experts demand urgent, localised monitoring.
Farmers issue 20-day ultimatum over ethanol factory The Mahapanchayat demanded the closure of Asia’s largest ethanol factory being planned in Rathikhera village of the Tibbi area. Farmer organisations allege that the ethanol factory will hurt the region’s water resources, environment, and agriculture, which has caused great anger among the local farmers. Farmers argue that the ethanol factory will lead to a decline in groundwater levels and cause air and water pollution, which will adversely impact agriculture and the local environment.
Beverage giants In Rajasthan, global beverage companies face shrinking water supplies, strict govt rules, and local anger as many residents receive piped water only once a week.
4 Telangana Red zone of overexploited water basin increases by 36% A 22% excess rainfall has ensured that the water table in Telangana is at 10.17 metres below ground level (BGL) as against 2024 depth of 10.51 metres and decadal average of 10.88 metres, according to Telangana Groundwater Department (TGWD). However, the Ground Water Resource Assessment of the State as a whole raises worrying questions. “Nearly 500 villages in the State are overexploiting the ground water. The levels of harsher chemicals like fluoride increase in the water as the water table goes down,” said K. Laxma, Director, TGWD.
The water table showed a rise in 440 mandals (72%) and a drop in 172 mandals (28%). More worryingly, deep-water level area (greater than 20m) increased by 1262 sqkm or 36%: from 3452 sq km to 4714 sq. km. Once an area is declared as having over-exploited groundwater basin, an automatic six-month ban on sinking of new borewells kicks in under the Telangana Water, Land and Trees Act of 2002: “No well shall be sunk in such areas except wells sunk for public drinking purposes or hand pump for public or private drinking water purposes.”
“Telangana has 85% land that has the subsurface of igneous rock, which is hard and has limited permeability. Only 15% land in the State has sedimentary and metamorphic rock surface with greater permeability. This is a limiting factor for the recharge of ground water. Aggravating the situation, the anthropogenic activity with road surfaces and concretisation has led to increased runoffs reducing the recharge of aquifers,” says Mr. Laxma.
Scientists call for smarter groundwater management Although the State receives an average annual rainfall of 960 mm, only about 10–15% contributes to groundwater recharge due to geological formations, land use and land cover patterns, and erratic rainfall. In a joint study, scientists found that the average annual groundwater recharge in Telangana is approximately 14.3 bcm. Of this, around 11.36 bcm is attributed to primary recharge from rainfall, while the remaining 3 bcm comes from secondary sources such as seepage from surface water bodies and return flow from irrigated fields.
Interestingly, the study found that even with ample rainfall in two consecutive years, recharge levels were significantly lower in the second year. Conversely, a drought year followed by favorable rainfall tends to result in increased recharge.
Monsoon recharges pushing more pollution into GW This was a disturbing finding revealed in the ‘Groundwater Quality Year Book of Telangana State, 2025’, released by the MoJS. The report, which provides data from 2017 and 2024 for pre and post-monsoon groundwater quality for various parameters in the state, said pre-monsoon excessive fluoride levels were found in Nagarkurnool, Rangareddy, Yadadri Bhuvanagri, Jangaon, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Hyderabad, Medchal Malkajgiri & Nalgonda districts. Overall excessive levels, the report said, were predominantly found in parts of Hanamkonda, Warangal, Jagtial, Jangaon, Nagarkurnool, Karimnagar, Khammam, Rangareddy, Nalgonda districts.
It is clear that between 2017 and 2024, a significant increasing trend was observed with respect to the number of locations having fluoride more than the permissible limit. In addition to geological factors, the increasing fluoride content in groundwater in Telangana could be due to “anthropogenic (human) activities which include excess use of fertilisers, and industrialisation,” the report said. Another vital parameter — electricity conductivity — in groundwater which is impacted by presence of total dissolved solids, also showed a rise post-monsoon. Of the 363 locations from where samples were analysed for this, this rose in 170.
5 Andhra Pradesh Irrigation accounts for 86% of GW extraction A groundwater resource assessment has estimated AP’s annual GW extraction in 2024 at 7.88 bcm. The study was a collaborative effort between AP GW dept & CGWB. Irrigation accounts for 86% of the total groundwater extraction, domestic use 13%, and industrial use 1%.
The state’s total annual GW recharge in 2024 was at 27.8 bcm. Of this, 1.39 bcm was allocated for natural discharge, leaving 26.41 bcm as the extractable GW resource. Recharge from other sources, such as canal seepage, return flow from irrigation, and recharge from tanks, ponds, and water conservation structures, contributes 17.97 bcm, 65% of the total recharge.
The remaining 9.82 bcm, or 35%, comes from rainfall. Out of the recharge from other sources, 39% occurs during the monsoon and 26% during non-monsoon. Rainfall-based recharge contributes 32% during the monsoon and 3% during non-monsoon. The overall extraction remains at 29.83%.
Water gains risk drying up under cash crop pressures Farmers in AP shifted from monocropping to crop diversification, with micro-irrigation reducing water use. Despite this, cash crops dominate due to market pressures and flawed govt incentives. Newer ways of regulating groundwater use, like water budgeting and borewell collectives, may hold the key.
CGWB report flags widespread contamination The groundwater quality alerts issued by the CGWB during June 2024–March 2025 highlighted the high incidence of nitrate, iron, fluoride, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, lead, and uranium, with notable concerns in Andhra Pradesh and eight other States. Andhra Pradesh and some other States were found to be facing seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Over 26% groundwater samples with high RSC levels Andhra Pradesh has recorded 26.87 % groundwater samples with Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) levels above the permissible limit of 2.5 meq/L (milliequivalents per liter), according to the Annual Ground Water Report 2025. The State’s percentage is higher than the national average of 11.27 %, placing it among the most affected States along with Delhi at 51.11 per cent, and Uttarakhand at 41.94 per cent. The report evaluates groundwater quality, seasonal changes and irrigation suitability. The assessment found that groundwater remains largely suitable for irrigation.
6 Karnataka Groundwater Authority has just two geologists The Karnataka Groundwater Authority, against 440 sanctioned posts, currently has just 49 permanent staff and 30 outsourced workers across the state — meaning an 82% vacancy. Bengaluru residents frequently raise complaints about illegal borewell drilling and groundwater exploitation. Yet, officials say the watchdog is “functionally paralysed.” Only two geologists serve the entire city, a number that the officials describe as “severely inadequate.” The agency currently responds only to public complaints rather than proactively monitor borewell activity; a practice that the officials admit is insufficient for a city with rapidly declining groundwater levels.
Depletion continues As per the Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment – 2024, 45 taluks have been classified as severely overexploited, with 27 of them in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Ramanagara, and Tumakuru. The findings are part of assessment covering 237 taluks, where groundwater extraction has crossed sustainable limits. Another 15 are listed as critical (90–100%), 33 semi-critical (70–90%), and 144 fall in the safe category (under 70%). Water quality too is a major concern. The report flags contamination in 85 taluks, identifying 17 for high salinity, 41 for excess nitrate, 15 for fluoride, and 12 for traces of uranium.
Activists have long raised red flags, especially in chronically affected areas like Kolar and Chikkaballapur. “People have to dig borewells for more than 700 feet at many places in these districts and still get contaminated water. These districts have no alternative sources for drinking water,” said R Anjaneya Reddy, president of Shashvatha Neeravari Horata Samithi. Reddy alleged that the CGWB has been flagging overexploitation in these areas since 1987, but successive govts have failed to offer permanent solutions.
Responding to the findings, minor irrigation minister NS Boseraju said, “CM has allocated Rs 1,000 crore more for the minor irrigation dept. We will construct more check dams and introduce more schemes to recharge groundwater.”
100% plus extraction in 5 districts Five districts in Karnataka, including Bengaluru Urban, have groundwater extraction levels of over 100%, even as the state as a whole has seen an improvement when compared to the previous estimation. Kolar (193.35%) leads the districts with overexploitation of groundwater, followed by Bengaluru Urban (186.7%), Chikkaballapura (164.33%), Bengaluru Rural (147.05%) and Chitradurga (144.44%).
Groundwater: Unsafe tomorrow? Between 2022 and 2024, 150 taluks recorded an average 10m improvement in groundwater levels, followed by 70 taluks showing 5m improvement. Notably, six overexploited, four critical, and 10 semi-critical taluks have been graded to safer categories, indicating aquifer recovery. Minor irrigation department has constructed 8,342 water conservation structures and maintained 3,787 tanks, conserving 126 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). Together, with 472 lift irrigation schemes, these efforts have rejuvenated 1,318 lakes and created an irrigated area of nearly 97,600 hectares.
Despite these gains, experts warn that recovery is fragile. Much of the improvement comes from artificial recharge and reuse schemes, which are energy- and infrastructure-intensive. They depend on continued funding, proper maintenance and community participation. Moreover, local groundwater improvements are often offset by unsustainable pumping. Without stronger regulation, digital monitoring and groundwater literacy, Karnataka’s “safe” status could quickly deteriorate.
Groundwater level declines in Chamarajanagar The groundwater table in Chamarajanagar district has fallen by 13.2 metres, raising concern among farmers and officials. The level, recorded at 11.2 metres two years ago, has continued to drop due to increased drilling of borewells for agriculture and commercial purpose, as well as changing rainfall pattern. The groundwater level slumped 2 metres in the last two and a half years.
Deeper issues persist While the government claims that this increase in groundwater is the result of filling up lakes, desilting works and other projects taken under MGNREGS, experts say excess rainfall in the last five years has only ensured that the surface-level water has improved and not the deeper aquifer that could improve long-term availability of groundwater.
7 Tamil Nadu Groundwater level dips in 13 districts A total of 13 districts in Tamil Nadu have recorded a fall in GW level in May 2025 compared to May 2024, according to data by the Water Resources Department for 37 districts barring Chennai. The sharpest fall was witnessed in the delta district of Thanjavur, where the GW level has gone down by 2.51 m. While the availability was at 1.9 m in May 2024, it dropped to 4.41 m in May 2025. This is despite ample rain in the monsoon and Karnataka releasing more water in Cauvery, which ensured adequate release of water for irrigation in the delta region.
A senior official from WRD said that despite availability of river-based irrigation systems in the delta and western regions, many of the farmers still use borewells due to easy availability, leading to faster depletion of GW levels. In Erode and a few other western districts, farmers prefer growing high-value crops such as turmeric, betel vine, banana, and vegetables, which are water intensive. As a result, the use of groundwater in these areas is very high.
The WRD has presented a proposal to carry out village-level study of aquifers in three districts for a more granular understanding of the issue so that localised plans can be devised. “We (WRD) have taken steps such as building check dams, and desilting ponds, canals, and lakes to help recharge groundwater,” the official added.
V Ravichandran, a farmer from Tiruvarur, said that changing weather patterns and erratic rainfall have worsened the situation and have made farmers rely on groundwater. He urged the state government to take effective steps to promote rainwater harvesting. “It is also essential to desilt small waterbodies like ponds and lakes to improve water storage and groundwater recharge,” he added.
34% GW overexploited Tamil Nadu is among the states worst affected by groundwater overexploitation, with 106 assessment units—33.87% of the total of 313—classified as over-exploited, according to a report of the CGWA submitted before the NGT. The report says that, in Tamil Nadu, while No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for drawing groundwater in over-exploited and critical areas are restricted to domestic use, infrastructure development, and non-water-intensive industries, the enforcement of these norms has been inconsistent.
A total of 492 illegal groundwater extraction units were sealed in the state based on orders from the Madras High Court. However, “There is no provision for collecting Environmental Compensation under existing regulations in Tamil Nadu,” the CGWA noted. Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Mayiladuthurai, Vellore, and Tirupattur dists are the worst affected. Out of 16 groundwater assessment units in Chennai, 13 are over-exploited.
Meanwhile, the CGWA has pulled up 8 states and Union Territories—including Delhi, West Bengal, Telangana, Pondicherry, and Jammu & Kashmir—for failing to provide requested data despite multiple reminders and a clear directive under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The CGWA has requested the NGT to issue directions to the defaulting states and stressed the need for urgent compliance.
Farmers flag reduced subsidy to build underground water tanks Farmers are aggrieved as the subsidy for constructing underground water tank has been reduced from Rs 350 per cubic metre to Rs 125. “To overcome this, the Supplementary Water Management Activities (SWMA) project has been providing subsidies for constructing underground water tanks, which are used to store water for drip irrigation. It costs a maximum of Rs 40,000 to build a tank, Rs 10,000 to lay pipes and Rs 15,000 to install a pump set. Many farmers showed interest in this project and benefited from it.
Erode: Contaminated ground water, dying farms In the Perundurai region, residents say decades of industrial activity in the State Industries Promotion Corp of TN estate have contaminated GW, ponds and lakes, forcing communities to abandon traditional farming and depend on distant water sources. In Eludhingalpatti village, a well that once sustained residents, now stands shut, bearing a warning that the water is unfit for consumption.
8 Goa 65% increase in groundwater extraction in 12 years The report ‘Dynamic Groundwater Resources of Goa, 2023’ highlights that the groundwater extraction increased from 4,114 ham in 2011 to 6,775 ham in 2023. The surge in extraction is attributed to a rise in the number of abstraction structures, including borewells and other manmade systems. Bardez and Mormugao talukas have recorded the highest groundwater extraction levels. The total rechargeable fresh groundwater resources have been estimated at 39,624.4 ham, with the annual extractable resource pegged at 31,699.5 ham. The report states that domestic use accounts for 56% of groundwater extraction (3,818.8 ham), followed by irrigation at 37% (2,484.8 ham), and industrial purposes at 7% (471.5 ham).
A comparison between 2020 and 2023 shows a 2% increase in rainfall recharge, recharge from other sources has decreased by 40%. Of the total recharge from all sources (39,624.4 ham), rainfall remains the major contributor with 35,951 ham, followed by water conservation structures (1,349.2 ham) and surface water irrigation (815.8 ham). The availability of groundwater for future use across Goa stands at 24,740.2 ham.
9 Uttarakhand State ‘rice bowl’ hit Udham Singh Nagar, the agricultural heartland, famed as the state’s “rice bowl,” is facing a crisis. According to CGWB, two areas in the district – Jaspur and Kashipur – have been classified as “critical,” with Rudrapur, the district headquarters, witnessing a 4-m annual decline. Over the past decade, the water table has dropped by 70ft.
With 3,055 sq km area, the dist produces over 4.4 lakh tons of rice annually across 1.5 lakh ha, alongside wheat and sugarcane. Yet, its 1.5 lakh farmers are battling a sharp groundwater decline, extreme weather conditions and delayed payments, which threaten their livelihoods.
10 Maharashtra Cotton exports could threaten GW Cotton is one of India’s top agricultural exports and between 2011-12 and 2020-21, the country’s cotton exports consumed roughly 40 trillion litres of water. Top cotton-producing districts in Maharashtra, the second leading state for cotton production, extract dangerously high levels of groundwater. Experts suggest a comprehensive approach to solve the groundwater problem, including groundwater monitoring, water rationing, and policy changes to support sustainable cotton farming.
Other Reports on GW Depletion and Contamination
Ladakh GW recharge dips, extraction down: CGWB According to CGWB report on 31 Dec. 2024, annual groundwater recharge in Ladakh has decreased from 0.09 bcm in 2023 to 0.07 bcm in 2024. This reflects challenges in natural recharge processes, likely influenced by factors such as reduced snowfall, changing precipitation patterns, or altered hydrology.
Groundwater extraction decreased by 33% (from 0.03 bcm to 0.02 bcm), lowering the Stage of Extraction from 37.05% to 30.93% showing progress in conservation efforts. Of the 18 blocks across Leh and Kargil districts, 17 are now categorised as “safe”. Only Diskit block in Leh is labeled “semi-critical”, requiring monitoring. 90.65% (873 sq km) of Ladakh’s recharge-worthy areas fall under “safe” zones, with just 9.35% (90 sq km) deemed “semi-critical.”
Uttar Pradesh ‘Excess fluoride’ in Sonbhadra’s groundwater The issue of excess fluoride in Sonbhadra’s groundwater was first discovered in 2013. The administration has made arrangements to supply treated surface water to the affected villages via over 800 tankers.
Bihar Severe contamination in 30, 207 rural wards: Report The report, which was tabled in the assembly as part of the Bihar Economic Survey (2024-25), highlighted the presence of arsenic in groundwater in 4,709 such wards, fluoride in 3,789 wards and iron in 21,709 wards. “Around 26 per cent of the rural wards in 31 districts, out of a total of 38, have groundwater sources affected by arsenic, fluoride and iron contamination beyond permissible limits,” the state’s Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) said in the study.
Madhya Pradesh Fluoride, Iron levels found in excess in many districts: Report Much to concern for public health, several locations in the districts of Alirajpur, Chhindwara, Dewas, Dhar, Katni, and Mandla have reported fluoride levels in groundwater exceeding the permissible limit of 1.5 mg/l, making it unsafe for human consumption. This is stated in report of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh 2024. The report also highlights concerns regarding groundwater hardness, which is mainly due to the presence of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride ions.
Govt ignores GW tests after UCC clean-up Environmentalists have raised concerns over the indifferent attitude of state agencies for not testing groundwater quality following the cleanup. In January 2025, 350 MT chemical waste from UCC plant was transported to Pithampur for incineration. Dr SC Pandey, environmentalist, said, “Before cleanup, multiple groundwater tests were conducted around plant site to assess water quality. It is pathetic that government is now uninterested in any tests that could build confidence and ease panic among gas tragedy survivors living nearby. This monsoon is the first after cleanup, so government should act in interest of survivors.”
Himachal Pradesh Villagers demand closure of Pepsi plant Residents of Malot and Kandrori villages in Kangra district have stained protest against Varun Beverages Limited, the Pepsi bottling partner, alleging violation of groundwater that threatens their water security and livelihoods. The Panchayats of both villages have passed resolutions demanding urgent action, with villagers saying that the company’s operations are already reducing GW levels.
Residents protest against India’s first API plant over pollution claims Around 1,000 people staged a protest and rally in Nalagarh on March 23, 2026, accusing pharmaceutical firm Kinvan Pvt Ltd of causing water, air and noise pollution. The demonstrators, many of them women from 10 to 15 nearby villages, alleged that the company was violating environmental norms and demanded that the unit be shut down. Protesters claimed that wastewater from the facility had polluted groundwater and caused a persistent foul smell in the area. The company’s Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) unit, which was inaugurated in 2024 in Plasda village by PM Modi, was the first of its kind in India.
Groundwater quality concerns in Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industrial Belt This region, known for its natural beauty and biodiversity, has undergone rapid industrialization, raising questions about environmental safety. Studies indicate that contaminants from industrial activities may be affecting groundwater reserves, which serve as a critical resource for both human consumption and agricultural use. The findings underscore the need for continued monitoring of water quality to assess long-term implications for public health and environmental sustainability.
World Bank Report Hidden cost of polluted groundwater The World Bank estimates that environmental degradation, largely from polluted water and soil, drains India of nearly $80 billion each year, around 6% of GDP. Health costs from unsafe water run into billions annually, while waterborne diseases result in millions of lost working days. The link between contamination and human capital loss is especially alarming. In Gujarat’s Mehsana district, fluorosis has disabled workers, reduced their earning capacity, and plunged households into cycles of wage loss and medical bills. Across the country, diarrhoeal illnesses still kill hundreds of thousands of children under five each year. Beyond these health tragedies, the consequences represent a steady erosion of India’s most valuable resource: its people.
DELHI Groundwater crosses ‘over exploited’ mark Delhi has one of the lowest groundwater levels in the country, trailing Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the 10th edition of Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, 2024-25. The Capital has crossed the ‘over-exploited’ mark in 2024 and 2017, and was close to it in 2023 and 2020. The CGWB categorises an area as ‘over-exploited’ when groundwater extraction exceeds 100 per cent, meaning annual consumption has surpassed recharge.
GW under stress A Rajya Sabha response by Minister of State for Jal Shakti says Puducherry uses over three-quarters of what it can safely extract.
Kerala Cardamom farming turns unsustainable In Kerala, 6 out of every 10 hectares of farmland are dedicated to coconut, rubber, rice, cardamom, and other cash crops. While they have brought economic prosperity, they come at an environmental cost—depleting water resources and stripping the soil of nutrients.
Report Thirsty crops draining GW across country Farmers in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan are growing more water-thirsty crops – rice, wheat, and onion – draining GW.
AI data centers feared to worsen water stress India is emerging as a key hub in the global race to scale up artificial intelligence, leading to rapid data center expansion. This surge carries a large burden on neighboring communities in the form of water scarcity.
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