MP Kartikeya Sharma on Monday raised important questions in the Rajya Sabha concerning groundwater level assessments, Heli-borne surveys in Haryana, the number of rural households with tap water connections, and government initiatives to enhance drinking water quality.
In response, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu, conveyed that the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) consistently monitors nationwide groundwater levels, including in Haryana, using a network of monitoring wells.
As of November 2022, groundwater levels in Haryana ranged from less than 2 meters to over 40 meters below ground level (mbgl). Out of the 268 wells monitored, 52.6% had depths in the range of 0-10 meters, indicating convenient access to groundwater.
He went on to say that a Heli-borne Transient Electromagnetic (H-TEM) survey covered an area of 2,644 sq. km in Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts, providing valuable sub-surface lithological information and identifying potential drilling sites and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) locations.
Minister Tudu stressed the government’s commitment to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, initiated in August 2019. The mission aims to ensure regular and high-quality tap water access to every rural household.
According to the Haryana state government, since the launch of the scheme, an additional 12.75 lakh rural households have received tap water connections, bringing the total to 30.41 lakh rural households in Haryana.
