Groundwater level plunging in Bengaluru Urban taluks

The groundwater levels in all five Taluks (Anekal, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South, Bengaluru East, and Yelahanka) under Bengaluru Urban district have gone down significantly owing to the poor rains, the recent report by the Minor Irrigation department has revealed. According to the data by the department, the groundwater levels have gone down by nearly 7.42 metres in Anekal, 7.31 metres in Yelahanka, 5.81 metres in Bengaluru East, and less than a metre in Bengaluru South and Bengaluru North. This was in comparison with the mean groundwater levels recorded over the last ten years.

Over the last few months, many areas of the city have been struggling with a water crisis since many borewells in the city have turned dry.

However, even amid the drought, the 117 taluks across the state have managed to see a rise in groundwater levels, and 119 taluks have recorded a fall in the levels.

Officials from the department opined that the lake-filling projects were creating an impact now and hence the groundwater levels had gone up in many districts, especially in Kolar, Ramanagar, and Chikkaballapur.

Minor Irrigation Minister N S Boseraju, who reviewed the situation of groundwater levels across the state, opined that there was a need to study the situation and measures initiated to improve the groundwater levels. “There is a need to conduct an in-depth study on the impact of such projects. This will also facilitate long-term planning for drought mitigation,” he said.