Borewell firms do brisk biz as city water table recedes

Ranchi: The prolonged scorching heat without any pre-monsoon showers has caused the groundwater levels in the Ranchi district to shrink by several hundred feet this year, experts have said. The depleting water table and the water scarcity, have, however, come as a boon for the borewell business sector this summer with many of the business owners working overtime in drilling water holes.According to business owners, their companies charge anywhere between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh to dig 500 feet to 1,000 feet based on the water table.Ravi Verma, the owner of Ashirvad Borewells, said he dug more than 100 borewells between April and June this year. “In some areas, we dug deeper than 500 feet but failed to extract water,” Verma said.Other borewell companies like Choudhary Borewell dug 500 borewells between Bariatu and Piska More this year. One Prasad Borewell has dug around 100 borewells and Krish Borewall 200.In several areas of the city, the water table has receded below 500 feet including at Harmu Housing Colony and Hindpiri. Similarly, parts of Kanke, Vidya Nagar, Morabadi and Burdwan Compound on Circular Road are also witnessing low groundwater levels.“Deep borings are happening in every other house on the Upper and Lower Burdwan Compound. The work is usually done late in the night or early in the morning so as not to disturb people during the busy hours,” said Sujit Saha, the owner of an eatery on Circular Road.Kedar Hazra, another businessman who runs a shop in Tharpakhna, said, “With depleted groundwater levels, the new borewell at our home failed. We are dependent on the supply water from the PHED but the water is impure and unfit for drinking.”According to the experts, the water table has depleted because of the drying rivers like Harmu, Swarnarekha and its tributaries due to the increased human encroachment. To make matters worse, Jharkhand recorded a 91% deficit in pre-monsoon showers this year between June 1 and June 15.Kunwar Singh Pahan, the additional municipal commissioner of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, said borewells were banned near roads but were allowed in localities. “Localities like Harmu and Hindpiri are facing water shortages. That is why we are appealing to the residents of Ranchi to install rainwater harvesting systems in their homes and commercial establishments so that the groundwater levels can be recharged,” he added.