Declining water table scenario in Haryana - A review

There has been a tremendous development of surface groundwater irrigation resources since the formation of Haryana state in the year 1966. In the year 2000, the net area sown was 3.552 million hectares (Mha) and about 81% of this amounting 2.888 Mha were under irrigation. The groundwater reserve in the state has been depleting over the years due to its heavy exploitation through a large number of shallow and deep tube wells with a density of about 14 groundwater extraction structure in every square kilometer area. The groundwater exploitation is heavy particularly north-eastern region where its quality is good.

During the period from 1974 to 2001, district Mahendergarh witnessed maximum decline in water table (11.74 m) followed by Kurukshetra (11.15 m), Panipat (5.94 m), Gurgaon (5.89 m), Rewari (4.13 m) Panchkula (3.30 m), Karnal (3.09 m), Kaithal (3.00 m), Faridabad (2.05 m), Ambala (1.49 m) and Yamuna Nagar (1.10 m).

Management strategies viz., water conservation practices, artifi cial recharge, crop diversifi cation, reclamation and recycling of waste water and effi cient irrigation system such as sprinkler and drip should be adopted to minimize the pressure of groundwater.