The Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA) has formulated an action plan to reduce the underground water gap in the state in the coming three years.
The water gap is the difference between the available water at any place and the quantity being used there. More water than available is being used in several parts of the state which creates a water gap there. To reduce this gap, the authority has planned to encourage the change of crops, zero tillage and micro irrigation.
To review the progress of the district water resources, plan 2022-25 is being prepared by all 22 districts in Haryana. HWRA chairperson Keshni Anand Arora Monday held a meeting with the superintending engineers of the irrigation and water resources department.
During the meeting, the chairperson reviewed the three-year action plan in order to reduce the water gap by 45 per cent in three years — 10 per cent in the first year, 15 per cent in the second year and 20 per cent in the third year — in water depleted as well as waterlogged areas. Arora lauded the efforts made by the district administration of Yamunanagar and Ambala “which are leading in their efforts”.
Atal Bhujal Yojana’s Haryana project director Satbir Singh Kadian said the districts have been instructed to complete the formulation of the district water resources plan by October 24 this year. According to the data compiled by the groundwater cell of the state irrigation department sourcing it from field units and Central Ground Water Authority, nearly 41 per cent of villages of the state have been found in the category of “groundwater stressed”, while 18 per cent have been found in the classification of “potential groundwater stressed”.
