Prayagraj launches week-long drive to recharge dwindling groundwater

DM Manish Kumar Verma has directed all departments concerned to prepare and implement a coordinated action plan for the campaign, which will run till July 22

A week-long Bhujal Sanrakshan Sankalp (Groundwater Conservation Pledge) campaign will begin in Prayagraj on July 16 as part of Groundwater Week, with the district administration launching a multi-tier approach to arrest declining groundwater levels through pond rejuvenation, check dam restoration and wider adoption of rainwater harvesting.

The drive will focus on rejuvenating ponds and check dams, enforcing mandatory rainwater harvesting provisions in eligible buildings, promoting water conservation and encouraging community participation in groundwater recharge. (FOR REPRESENTATION)

District magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has directed all departments concerned to prepare and implement a coordinated action plan for the campaign, which will run till July 22, district officials said.

The campaign will be organised at the gram panchayat level on July 16-17, block and kshetra panchayat levels on July 18-19, municipal bodies on July 20-21, and district-level institutions, including the zila panchayat and development authority, on July 22.

The drive will focus on rejuvenating ponds and check dams, enforcing mandatory rainwater harvesting provisions in eligible buildings, promoting water conservation and encouraging community participation in groundwater recharge. This year’s theme is “Jal Sanrakshan Ka Karen Sankalp, Iska Nahin Hai Koi Vikalp” (Pledge to conserve water; there is no alternative).

Officials said 639 Amrit Sarovars have been completed across the district, while another 76 are under construction. Developed over a minimum area of one acre each with an average storage capacity of 8,000 cubic metres, the completed ponds together can hold about 5.11 million cubic metres of rainwater, boosting groundwater recharge in rural areas while supporting environmental sustainability and agriculture-based livelihoods.

Despite being situated between the Ganga and the Yamuna, Prayagraj continues to face declining groundwater levels, particularly in urban areas where excessive and unregulated extraction has put increasing pressure on aquifers. Officials said expanding rainwater harvesting and other water conservation measures is crucial to recharging groundwater reserves.

According to hydrologist Aviral Singh of the Uttar Pradesh Groundwater Department, the department has set a target of installing rooftop rainwater harvesting systems on government and semi-government buildings with a combined roof area of 20,000 square metres during the 2026-27 financial year. The initiative is expected to recharge nearly 18,888 cubic metres, or about 18.9 million litres, of rainwater into the groundwater system.

Singh said the campaign aims to bring together all agencies involved in groundwater management to ensure effective implementation of conservation measures and promote the sustainable use of water resources across the district.