Why in news?
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) released its Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2025, highlighting contaminants such as nitrate, uranium, fluoride and salinity in various regions. The report underscores the board’s role in monitoring and safeguarding India’s groundwater resources.
Background
CGWB was established in 1970 by renaming the Exploratory Tube Well Organisation. It functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Headquartered in Faridabad, Haryana, the board operates regional offices across the country. It also serves as the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, empowered to regulate and control groundwater development.
Mandate and functions
- Assessment and mapping: CGWB conducts hydrogeological, geophysical and chemical surveys to assess groundwater quantity and quality. Through the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM), it maps aquifers and prepares region‑specific plans for sustainable development.
- Monitoring network: The board maintains more than 25 000 observation wells to monitor groundwater levels and quality. Data are collected before and after the monsoon to detect seasonal trends.
- Policy and regulation: CGWB formulates model groundwater regulations and advises state governments on controlling over‑extraction. As CGWA, it notifies critical areas, issues no‑objection certificates for groundwater withdrawal and enforces compliance.
- Recharge and conservation: It promotes artificial recharge through rainwater harvesting, check dams, percolation tanks and barrier wells, and prepares master plans to support states and NGOs in implementing recharge projects.
- Training and awareness: The board conducts capacity‑building programmes, publishes reports and engages in public awareness campaigns on groundwater conservation.
Groundwater quality report – key trends
- Pre‑monsoon deterioration: Water quality generally worsens before the monsoon, with slight improvement after recharge.
- Regional patterns: States with heavy groundwater extraction, such as Punjab and Haryana, show rising contamination. Urban areas exhibit higher heavy‑metal pollution than rural regions.
- Policy recommendations: To manage nitrate contamination, the report urges fertiliser regulation, promotion of organic farming and proper sewage treatment. For fluoride and uranium, it recommends defluoridation plants and deeper recharge. Salinity in coastal areas calls for artificial recharge and monitoring of freshwater–saline interfaces.
Significance
- Water security: With groundwater supplying over 60 percent of India’s irrigation and drinking needs, CGWB’s data and guidance are critical for sustainable water management and drought preparedness.
- Evidence‑based policy: Scientific assessments help formulate national and state policies, including the National Water Policy, and enable targeted interventions in over‑exploited blocks.
- Public awareness: The board’s reports and outreach programmes educate citizens about the importance of conserving and protecting groundwater resources.
Source: The Hindu