NGRI to map underground water across landmass of India

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) is planning to take up a massive aquifer-mapping programme across the entire landmass of India using advanced helicopter surveys.

Aquifer mapping will help prepare a 3D map of groundwater resources at every point across the country and hence help in their efficient usage and sustainability.

Most countries in the world are now using continuous aquifer mapping to ascertain their groundwater resources and use them judiciously.

These surveys can even find points and sources of contamination in groundwater.

The institute is waiting for a green signal from the Union Ministry of Water Resources. Scientists said, if initiated, the mega project could span up to a decade and cost Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 crore.

In collaboration with Aarhus University in Denmark, NGRI had taken up pilot projects in five states in the country for aquifer mapping two years ago. The states selected for the pilot study were Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharash-tra.

Dr Shakeel Ahmed, chief scientist and team leader, Indo French Centre for Groundwater Research (IFCGR), NGRI, said the outcome of the pilot project was extremely satisfactory.

Scientists could 3D map profiles of the ground up to 200 metres in hard rock areas and 300 metres in alluvial soil areas. One of the 3D maps in Bihar showed the merging of two aquifers, one of which was contaminated with Arsenic while water in the other was pure.

“The pilot project results were very good. We could very accurately map aquifers of the pilot sites that were selected. We have now submitted a proposal to the Centre to scale up the project to the whole country,” Dr Ahmed said. NGRI has brought in European technology, which uses helicopter-borne Transient Electro-magnetic surveys over the ground to prepare 3D maps.