Pune: Most Water Conservation Schemes In India Exist In Maharashtra: Water Body Census
Pune, 27th April 2023: According to the Water Body Census, most of the water conservation schemes in the country are being implemented in Maharashtra. Apart from this, it has been revealed that the Aurangabad, Nashik, and Jalna districts of the state are among the top five districts in the country in terms of groundwater recharge.
A water body census was conducted for the first time in the country. The report on this calculation was released recently. Out of 24,24,450 water bodies in the country, 97.1 percent are in rural areas, while only 2.9 percent are in urban areas.
Of the total water resources in the country, 14,42,993 (59.5 percent) are lakes, 3,82,805 (15.7 percent) ponds, 2,92,280 (12.1 percent) reservoirs, 22,361 (0.9 per cent) ) are seepage lakes, while 2,26,217 (9.3 per cent) are water conservation schemes, seepage ponds, etc
Of the total water bodies in the country, 78 per cent; 18,90,463 are man-made, while the remaining 22 per cent; 5,34,077 are natural. The report states that 9.6 per cent of water bodies are in tribal areas, 8.8 per cent of water bodies are in flood-prone areas, 7.2 per cent are in drought-prone areas and two per cent of water bodies are in Naxal-affected areas.
Considering the state, there are a total of 97,062 water bodies across the state. Among the water bodies in the state, there are 898 lakes, 3,797 ponds, 350 lakes, 358 reservoirs, 90,023 water conservation schemes, seepage lakes, and dams. 99.3 per cent; 96,343 of them are in rural areas, while 0.7 per cent; 719 are in urban areas. 99.7 per cent; 96,767 water bodies are government owned and 0.3 per cent; 295 water bodies are privately owned.
574 water bodies in the state are natural, while 96,488 water bodies are man-made. Of the water bodies in the state, 52.7 per cent of the water bodies are under the jurisdiction of the State Water Resources Department, while 42.7 per cent of the water bodies are under the jurisdiction of the Panchayats. According to the report, 77.3 per cent of the water use is groundwater recharge, 13 per cent is for domestic use or water, and 8.3 per cent is irrigation for work.
The report also revealed that some water bodies in the state are not being used due to various reasons. Among them, 194 water bodies; 18.82 per cent are due to drying up, 70 water bodies; 6.79 per cent are due to construction, 157 water bodies; 15.23 per cent are silted, 149 water bodies; 14.45 per cent cannot be repaired, 26 water bodies; 2.52 per cent due to discharge of industrial effluents. The report also states that two reservoirs are due to salinization, while 433 reservoirs; 42 per cent are not in use due to other reasons.
1.6 per cent of the total water bodies in the country have been encroached upon. 95.4 per cent of it is in rural areas, while the remaining 4.6 per cent is in urban areas. Out of the total water bodies, 62.8 per cent of the water bodies are under encroachment, 25 percent of the water bodies are under encroachment, while more than 75 per cent of the 11.8 per cent of water bodies are under encroachment.
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