Groundwater situation alarming in Ganga basin states due to rising dry days: Official

groundwater situation as well as availability of overground water for irrigation have become alarming due to increasing number of dry days during Southwest monsoon, a top Ministry of Earth Sciences official has told a parliamentary panel.

official testified to panel that Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal have been witnessing decreasing number of low-intensity rainfalls which is t favourable for groundwater recharge and agriculture.

" situation for agriculture and water recharges in Ganga basin states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and some or states in extreme south peninsula is alarming, as number of dry days during southwest monsoon is significantly increasing.

" frequency of rainfall of lower intensities (less than 7 centimetres), favourable for soil and ground water recharges, is also decreasing over se regions," MoES Secretary M Rajeevan told panel.

parliamentary report was tabled in Rajya Sabha last week.

Elaborating on phemena, Rajeevan told PTI that lower intensity rainfalls t only help soil preserve moisture but also enable recharge of groundwater table.

Rajeevan said MoES has prepared a report on 'Observed Rainfall Variability and Changes' to find out recent changes in rainfall pattern over 28 states and one Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

He added that Bihar, Meghalaya, Nagaland, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have shown significant decreasing trend in annual rainfall in last 30 years.

states of Bihar, Meghalaya, Nagaland, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have also shown a decrease in southwest monsoon, Rajeevan added.

However, in district rainfall, significant changes have been ticed for most of states, it added.

MoEs also informed panel that re had been significant changes in frequency of dry days, rainy days (daily rainfall of 2.5 millimetres or more but less than 7 centimetres) and heavy rainfall events (greater than or equal to 7 centimetres).

Representative Im