GANGA 64th Issue | Page 2

Newsletter No. 64; IRBMS serious. This study is based on the data collected Groundwater exploitation is spreading eastern UP. by Climate Surprisingly Son River is passing through the Experiment satellites, also known as the GRACE district. The famous Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar mission. dam near Renukoot is situated in this district. The The worldwide study shows in the subcontinent maximum there will be serious impact on such redistribution. Robertsgunj etc. in the North of Son River. In North-West of the sub-continent covering The level of groundwater has depleted below 250 Pakistan to Western UP there will be severe feet. In certain pockets, it is beyond that which has depletion of Groundwater. In the Himalayan made the situation alarming. The groundwater foothills the precipitation will increase but there level came to knowledge during boring at a will location in Ghorawal area. Drilling up to 1,200 feet NASA’s Gravity be change in Recovery and Groundwater for which affected areas are Ghorawal, Groundwater policy need to be changed. was done but water was not found. It is ironical that the mainstream elite media and There are over 250 villages in Ghorawal area and Govt. of one of the most affected region of the around 50 are in rocky pockets of the district world remain indifferent about this huge looming where the situation is alarming. According to problem. residents, a long stretch of Belan River which is the main source of water for many villages has dried NEWS up with only a few patches remaining. The Ritthi Sonbhadra District, UP is facing severe Dam has dried up due to cracks have emerged in Water Crisis. the dried up soil. Villagers have to arrange water Sonbhadra District of Eastern Uttar Pradesh is facing severe water crisis April-May 2018. The hand pumps of village after village went dry, men and women in summer walking kilometer after kilometers to get water. Water crisis has returned to haunt thousands of locals residing in Deori Khas, Surahi, Biranki, Susund, Mahav and other villages in Gorawal area which has been declared a dark zone due to over exploitation of groundwater. From Western UP and Punjab, excessive for cattle from other sources. By mid-March, ponds, wells and tube wells go dry every year but situation has turned bad this year as ponds dried up in the last week of February. Local administration is aware of the problem and they have identified 18 ponds and wells each which have dried up. The situation had worsened due to overexploitation of groundwater and lack of steps required to recharge the water level. Both 2 Integrated River Basin Management Society