Punjab's Water Conservation Action Plan: A New Hope for Groundwater Preservation

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has approved a comprehensive 14-point action plan to address the state's groundwater depletion crisis. The plan divides Punjab into catchment areas to manage water flow and aims to introduce water-efficient techniques. The effort includes promoting water user associations and supplying canal water to industries.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has taken decisive steps to combat the state's dwindling groundwater reserves by approving a 14-point action plan under the Integrated State Water Plan.

Expressing concern over the rapid decline in groundwater levels, Mann noted that an alarming number of blocks in Punjab are over-exploited. The new action plan aims to curtail this trend by dividing the state into catchment areas, managing water flow, and focusing on soil erosion and nutrient retention.

The initiative also promotes the adoption of water-efficient techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, with an eye on creating water user associations to facilitate better water management among farmers. In addition, the plan advocates for industrial use of canal water to alleviate pressure on groundwater resources.

(With inputs from agencies.)