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Haryana saves 2487 million cubic feet water under biennial action plan
HWRA chairperson Keshni Anand Arora said successful initiatives under this action plan included direct seeding of rice in about 2.45 lakh acres, crop diversification in 2.44 lakh acres, and construction of 26 water reservoirs for floodwater conservation by the irrigation and water resources department
The Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA) on Thursday said the state had been able to save 2,487 million cubic metre (2,48,702 crore litres) of water till December 2023, against the target of saving 2,605 million cubic metre (2,60,498 crore litres), a 95% achievement, under the biennial integrated water resources action plan 2023-25.
The biennial action plan aims to reduce the gap between water demand and availability in Haryana.
This information was shared during a meeting chaired by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday.
HWRA chairperson Keshni Anand Arora said successful initiatives under this action plan included direct seeding of rice in about 2.45 lakh acres, crop diversification in 2.44 lakh acres, and construction of 26 water reservoirs for floodwater conservation by the irrigation and water resources department.
She said the irrigation and water resources department has saved 16,627 crore litres of water by modernising and rehabilitating water channels, constructing new storage facilities for floodwaters, and reusing treated effluent water.
The CM said implementing groundwater recharging plans in villages where the groundwater level is critically low is a priority. Areas facing recent water logging issues should be focused on expediting their recovery.
He asked the officers to identify around 200 villages where the groundwater level has fallen below 100 meters. The agriculture department should encourage farmers in these villages to adopt micro-irrigation techniques, he said.
Khattar said there were areas facing water logging issues with significantly low groundwater levels. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers is a major cause, leading to the compaction of soil layers and clay formation, hindering water infiltration into the ground. Scientific studies should be conducted to address groundwater recharging in these areas, he added.
“Each district should map short-term plans and ensure their effective implementation. Verification mechanisms should be established at the district and block levels, and senior officers should be assigned to ensure accurate data reporting,” Khattar said.
The HWRA chairperson said the authority has developed in-house software for granting no objection certificates for extraction of groundwater to industry, mining, and commercial entities and granted permission to about 3,000 applicants.
The permissions have been granted subject to fulfilment of water conservation measures and recharge of groundwater by ensuring rainwater harvesting and optimum use of treated wastewater for non-potable use, she said.
