Depletion of groundwater alarming in residential hubs

HYDERABAD: Former Planning Commission deputy chairman

Montek Singh Ahluwalia

set the cat among the pigeons the other day with his remarks on indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater in Hyderabad (Deccan peninsula). Confirming the worst fears, senior officials said groundwater was depleting at an alarming rate in residential colonies in the city. Some of the worst-hit areas are

Marredpally

, Ameerpet, Musheerabad, Khairatabad,

Malkajgiri

, Shaikpet and Asifnagar.

In summer, the situation will take a turn for worse. For instance, the

groundwater level

was 15.11 meters below ground level in October last year and three months later, it had gone down to 19.39 meters. “The groundwater plummeting 4.28 meters below ground level in the last three months is not a good sign. Water users are in for harsh times ahead,” a senior groundwater department official warned.

Officials said the groundwater could go down by another 4-5 meters below ground level in Hyderabad distict. When contacted, senior geologist, groundwater department, Vamshi Krishna told TOI that usage of groundwater in the city was very high. “As a result, the level had dipped 4 meters below ground level,” he said.

Secunderabad is also not out of the woods owing to severe exploitation of groundwater. “We receive at least 10 requests from property owners to dig fresh borewells in Marredpally and other areas of Secunderabad. We will give permisson for fresh borewells only after the groundwater department’s scrutiny and submission of a report on their feasibility,” a senior revenue offical told TOI.

Sources said the revenue department will permit property owners to dig fresh borewells up to 400-ft depth only. Revenue officials said they received the highest number of requests for borewells from Shaikpet mandal in Hyderabad district. “Shaikpet is a rocky area and the borewells’ depth goes beyond 400 ft. We are receiving 15-20 requests a day,” said Shaikpet mandal revenue officer Venkat Reddy.

Instances of some desperate owners digging borewells at 800-ft below ground level have also come to the notice of the authorities who reportedly turned a blind eye. “The property owners manage the revenue officials with attractive offers,” charged A Sitarama Reddy, member of a residental welfare assocation in Malkajgiri.


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