Escalating Water Crises of Punjab: A State Facing Threat of Water Scarcity and Choice of Repurposing Sewage Waters

Abstract

A revolutionary shift towards sustainable water management aims to combat the Punjab water crisis, which is suffering the dire consequence of groundwater overexploitation caused by the cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy. This transition has been spearheaded by innovative water conservation projects to secure the future of groundwater resources and offer economic relief to farmers and the government, fostering environmental sustainability.

Water scarcity is a harsh reality that farmers of Punjab are facing since the past two decades. Many of these farmers have total dependency on groundwater. This is among the root causes of the rising concern on this issue and forms the focus of this paper. Punjabi farmers do not have access to canal water, which makes groundwater their only option. According to some of the farmers of Punjab the groundwater was at 4.5 meters at the beginning of the 21st century. Currently, it is reachable as deep as 21 meters illustrating the declining groundwater level.

Globally, water taken from underground reservoirs supports 40 per cent of agriculture, but if the groundwater levels fall the crises will be compounded manifold. Punjab, known India’s breadbasket is observing its groundwater being depleted faster than it can be replenished by natural sources.