Glitzy Gurgaon stares at a dry future

Groundwater is the only source of water in Gurgaon. More reason for the residents to be concerned as the district has already been notified as a ‘dark zone’ when it came to extraction of groundwater, Sanjeev Ahuja reports.

Groundwater is the only source of water in Gurgaon. More reason for the residents to be concerned as the district has already been notified as a ‘dark zone’ when it came to extraction of groundwater.

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Gurgaon is a concrete jungle with little ground left uncovered to let water seep into the ground. In 2006, the groundwater level in Gurgaon had fallen to 51 metres below ground level (mbgl). The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) had projected that if the water table hit the 200-metre mark, Gurgaon would be left with nothing but dry rocks.

By 2011, Gurgaon had over 30,000 tubewells sucking out an estimated 70-230 million litres of groundwater per day. By 2021, Gurgaon, with an estimated population of 3.7 million, will have a water demand of 666 million litres per day.

Despite a CGWB ban on groundwater extraction in 2000, the water table continues to fall at alarming rate. A recent study showed that the water table depleted by approximately four metres between June and October 2012. Gurgaon’s only hope is recharging the water table by extensive rainwater harvesting, reviving dry water bodies and strict action against those using groundwater for construction.

The Punjab and Haryana HC in August 2012 asked Haryana to ban groundwater extraction for construction work.

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