ABSTRACT
Groundwater plays a crucial role as a source of freshwater in India. It accounts for around 58 per cent of the total irrigated area in the country, whereas the share of groundwater in meeting the drinking water needs is much higher at around 80 per cent.1 One of the reasons for the unprecedented reliance on groundwater is believed to be the poor functioning of the public irrigation system.2 With large areas of India having substantial aquifers, people who have access to land and financial resources are able to ignore the inconvenience of poorly functioning public systems and became self-reliant using groundwater.3 As a result, the extent of groundwater extraction is increasing exponentially in India. This is seen in the growth in the number of dug wells and tubewells since independence. In the period 1951-1997, the number of dug wells and tubewells has increased from 3,865 thousand to 17,334 thousand.4 Dependence on groundwater as a freshwater source is likely to increase in the coming years. A recent Planning Commission report noted that by the year 2025, the demand for industrial and domestic use is projected to rise to 29 billion cubic metres (BCM) from the current demand of 18 BCM.5
