The government will soon table the ‘Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control) Bill in the Assembly to curb excess use of ground water, said Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

Speaking at the inauguration of a panel discussion  on ‘Ground Water protection and use - government and legislators role’ on Thursday, Mr Yediyurappa said, “Over-exploitation of ground water even in irrigated areas has an adverse effect on the environment.

Global warming, also a result of excess use of ground water, may result in its total depletion as early as 2015,” he warned.

Second to Rajasthan

In Karnataka, three lakh borewells have dried up. “The Bill will also initiate steps to check digging of borewells. We are in a precarious situation. Karnataka is now second to Rajasthan when it comes to barren land. Rain water harvesting will have to be accorded importance to conserve water,” Mr Yediurappa added.

Environmentalist Dr A N Yellappa Reddy said the manner in which ground water is being exploited has resulted in temperatures rising by up to ten degrees Celsius. “The skin of the earth is being peeled off. A stringent land and water use policy is a necessity or we will be left with no ground water at all,” he warned. H K Patil, leader of opposition in the Legislative Assembly, said conservation of water should be popularised.

Dams blamed

Sandeep Dave, Commissioner, Reservoir Development Department said bad planning in construction of dams may lead to 70 lakh hectares of land being rendered waste land. “This should be addressed in the new Bill,” Mr Dave said.