Hyderabad: Telangana will face a worse groundwater crisis in 2016 compared to last year if the Southwest Monsoon is deficient yet again. Last year the state had received 21 per cent less rainfall.
As per the state's groundwater department, the average groundwater depth in Telangana in January 2016 was 2.78 metres lower than in January 2015 — from 10.97 metres below ground level (mbgl) to 13.75 mbgl.
The worst-hit among all districts is Medak where groundwater is 7.37 metres lower as compared to January 2015, raising a concern for all areas that are witnessing rapid real estate development.
It is the same case with Ranga Reddy district where groundwater has gone down by 3.73 mbgl.
Groundwater levels in all other districts too have been severely impacted.
In Hyderabad, however, the groundwater level change between last year and this year January has been minimal.
It was recorded at 9.91 mbgl in January 2015 while it was 9.79 mbgl this year.
In Warangal it recorded a positive change of 0.17mbgl compared to last January.
Groundwater levels as compared to pre-monsoon levels of May 2015 have also failed to improve in most parts of the state indicating an impending crisis. In 2015-16 water year (June 2015 to May 2016) the monsoon failed to have any positive impact on groundwater levels.
A positive increment has only been observed in Hyderabad where it bettered from 11.82 mbgl to 9.79 mbgl, Khammam (10.11 to 8.55mbgl) and Warangal (12.32 to 10.15mbgl).
