Critical Analysis of Indian Policies on Groundwater Control and Management: With special reference to El Nino Impact

Groundwater is an essential and depleting resource in our nature that we are highly reliant on, for our lives and livelihood. Even after the attempts made by the central and the state govt. the existing situation is vulnerable. The situation of Chennai and Bengaluru are significant examples to establish the concern. India’s geographic location makes it drought-prone and 29% of its aquifers are either exhausted or critical due to demographic burden and improper extraction of groundwater. The frequent occurrence of El Nino years shows that in the future impact of El Nino would be against the Indian interest. Laws are not very stringent to obligate farmers to water harvesting and evolution in farming methods. India procures huge profits of its GDP from food and agriculture which is highly dependent upon groundwater for irrigation. Subsidies in farming and extraction of groundwater are directly proportional to each other and attract more new stakeholders. Lack of Awareness regarding the health of aquifers and their functioning is another problem. There is no separate law for groundwater regulation at the central level albeit policies have been made in this regard which is advisory for the states in nature. Under the Environment Protection Act, the provision of the Central Groundwater Authority is mentioned which is the primary organ to look after the protection and management of groundwater and Aquifer, also there is no bifurcation of groundwater from surface water in existing laws and policies, which affects the very objective of groundwater policy because the precipitation of groundwater and surface water somehow related to each other but are entirely different when it comes to conservation and management.