Pune groundwater reserves replenished, only 3 talukas show marginal drop in levels

Konkan division topped the charts in groundwater levels, as most wells here have been recharged to the optimum capacity.

Pune is among the seven districts where, thanks to sufficient rainfall, groundwater reserves have been replenished well this year. In Pune district, groundwater levels have shown marginal depletion only in three talukas, comprising 31 villages. This data was revealed in the post-monsoon Water Scarcity Report issued by the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA).

Replenished groundwater levels indicate that local farmers have sufficient stock of water to undertake planned cultivation during the upcoming rabbi season. The groundwater situation across Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Osmanabad, Ratnagiri, Sindudurgh and Palghar districts have shown similar encouraging trends which, according to hydrologists, is mainly due to the generous rainfall received during monsoon this year.

In Pune district, groundwater depletion, of less than one metre, was largely noticed only in Velhe (-26 per cent) and Purandar (-14 per cent) talukas, where rainfall received between June and September 2017 was slightly below normal. “The groundwater reserves have been recharged, with very water little run-off observed. This was possible as the rainfall was spatially and temporally well distributed, allowing maximum water to seep underground. Pune will not face water shortage before April,” said I I Shah, additional director at GSDA, Pune.

GSDA officials also believe that Ambegaon, Baramati, Bhor, Daund, Haveli, Indapur, Junnar, Khed, Maval, Mulshi and Shirur in Pune district will not face any major water scarcity or shortage of drinking water until next summer. Overall, only 84 talukas in the state have shown a marked drop, over 3 metres, in groundwater reserves, where GSDA has warned of water scarcity from this month. GSDA has also warned that two months from now, water shortage will hit 104 talukas, which reported depletion anywhere between 2 to 3 metres.

Konkan division topped the charts in groundwater levels, as most wells here have been recharged to the optimum capacity. Pune division, comprising Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts, was in the second place. However, Vidarbha was among the regions that didn’t get sufficient rainfall. According to the monsoon season’s end report, prepared by (IMD, rainfall recorded at Vidarbha during this monsoon was 731 mm, nearly 24 per cent less than normal. IMD has also tagged Vidarbha among the six most rain deficient sub-divisions in 2017. “… There is a possibility that many villages in Vidarbha may face water scarcity by March. The Zilla Parishad will prepare contingency plans accordingly,” added Shah.