The clutches of water levels sinking – electricity been barred in City of Jaipur

Water and electricity (lighting) are the two most crucial requirements of a human being. With the onset of the summer season, people are forced to face with the insufficiency of both water and electricity. Summer season has started to show its consequences, with people feeling the hot and the humid climate with no sign of relief.

Water levels: A brief

People are getting apprehensive with the growing need of fresh and drinking water. Water levels have been seen to drop radically. Withdrawing water from below the ground level and such extraction of water increasing by every passing day has led to the exhaustion of water level below the expectations. Water is not replenishing at the rate by which is being used up by the humans. Water which is available for use above the ground level is also not utilised in a sustainable manner. The percentage of ground level water is depleting at a fast rate of 1-2% every year.

In districts like Alwar, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Nagore, the ground level water has reached a height of 60 meters below the ground where it is stated that the maximum level up to which ground level water can be found and extracted is only 80 meters. It is publicised that if the situation continues to be the same and worsens day by day and year by year, then by the end of the next 10 years, the dependency on groundwater will be exhausted absolutely and it will cease to be a source of water anymore.

Districts benefited with water replenishment and providence:

Districts like Kota, Hanumangarh, Dungarpur, Churu, Tonk, Banswara and Ganganagar are ones which experience annual replenishment out of which not even 80% of water is utilized by people living in those districts. This happens because these districts are surrounded by huge water bodies nearby. All this has led to an increase in the groundwater level in these districts.

Some quick steps we can follow to utilize water in an ecological manner:

• In the use of irrigation, surface water must be given preference and also it must be utilized in place of groundwater. Connecting the numerous rivers of the country, such plan of the government are limited to mere documents of the government. These must take the form of a substantial plan and the work must get to action.
• Rain water harvesting is an approach that must be taken up by individuals, families and enterprises seriously.
• The usage of sprinklers and drop by drop irrigation in irrigation must be given a boost as it reduces the usage of water for irrigating crops by 50%.
• Water harvesting plants must be established in cities as well as villages to benefit from the usage of rainwater.
• The usage of water in different crops must be determined and accordingly the crops must be irrigated.
• Water must be recycled and utilized for every possible work. Water from streams must be recycled for irrigation of crops.

Electric supply: A brief

Being self-reliant in the space of electricity for the first time in the country, the people of the country are not able to revel in the comfort of regular electricity supply. Electricity supply is not utilized by enterprises and industrialists in a consistent manner. After the happening of all this, it is easy to understand that the supply of electricity to villages and farms is a dream too far.

Cyclic event:

It is a cyclic event. The supply of electricity in farms and villages requires the working of pumps and motors, which withdraws water from the ground for irrigation etc. This pulling out of water as mentioned is happening from below the ground levels, which has nearly exhausted.

When it comes to the lighting space of the country, it is known that the country has become self-dependent in this field. The country experiences electric surplus every year. Even after experiencing a good situation, electricity connections are not provided in the agriculture area. Reason?
The reason exposed behind this is that this is not a positive monetary deal for the government. It is a deal which shall fetch losses in the future. The other reason stated is that the groundwater level which is on its extinct already, it situation will become constricted if electric supply was to be provided in the farms.

Out of the total consumers for electricity in the country, agriculture connections account only for a mere 10% in the country. Even after this 42% of the electricity in the country is consumed by the agriculture space. 70-80% of the number is held by agriculture in the country on account of usage of groundwater.

Every year, the availability and expected annual demand for electricity of the country is determined. Recently the power assessment committee of the electricity companies in the country organized a meeting and discovered that in the next year, the consumption of electricity will increase by 150-400 lakh units every day.

All this has drawn an image of a non-productive economy.

Estimate of surplus of electricity every month (Figures in units):

The falling percentage of groundwater in the state of Rajasthan is a matter of concern. The maximum limit below the ground for water extraction is 80 meters in the city of Jaipur and other districts. Out of this 80 meters 60 meters has been exhausted. If the situation is not taken charge of, in about a decade, the dependency on groundwater will finish off. – P.K. Parchure, Regional Director (West), Central Groundwater Board.