Bengaluru: Groundwater depletion in and around Bengaluru’s surrounding districts remains alarming, with the city drawing 187% of its annual groundwater reserves—among the highest overexploitation rates among urban centres in Karnataka. The latest Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment – 2024, jointly released by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the Karnataka Ground Water Directorate (GWD),has painted a grim picture of the deepening crisis.
According to the report, 45 taluks across Karnataka have been classified as severely overexploited, with 27 of them in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Ramanagara, and Tumakuru. Kolar topped the list with an extraction rate of 193%, followed by Chikkaballapur (164%), Bengaluru Rural (147%), and Chitradurga (144%).
The findings are part of a larger assessment covering 237 taluks statewide, where groundwater extraction has crossed sustainable limits. While 45 taluks are categorised as overexploited (exceeding 100% usage), another 15 are listed as critical (90–100%), 33 semi-critical (70–90%), and 144 fall in the safe category (under 70%).
Water quality too is a major concern. The report flags contamination in 85 taluks, identifying 17 for high salinity, 41 for excess nitrate, 15 for fluoride, and 12 for traces of uranium.
Activists have long raised red flags, especially in chronically affected areas like Kolar and Chikkaballapur. “People have to dig borewells for more than 700 feet at many places in these districts and still get contaminated water. These districts have no alternative sources for drinking water,” said R Anjaneya Reddy, president of Shashvatha Neeravari Horata Samithi.
Reddy alleged that the CGWB has been flagging overexploitation in these areas since 1987, but successive govts have failed to offer permanent solutions. “Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, and part of Tumakuru districts were identified for overexploitation of groundwater . Govts have spent crores on measures like creation of check dams, but to no avail,” he said.
Calling for urgent intervention, he said: “A comprehensive programme to rejuvenate all water bodies—lakes, ponds, rainwater drains—and remove encroachments must be launched on a war footing.”
Responding to the findings, minor irrigation minister NS Boseraju said, “CM Siddaramaiah has allocated Rs 1,000 crore more for the minor irrigation department. We will construct more scientific check dams at logical places and introduce more schemes to recharge groundwater.”
Calling water “the future,” the minister said the department will soon launch an awareness programme and work to rejuvenate lakes and promote modern irrigation techniques to reduce pressure on groundwater.
GFX
Districts and taluks worst hit
District
Taluks
Bengaluru Urban
Bengaluru East, Bengaluru South, Yelahanka, Bengaluru city, Anekal and Bengaluru North
Bengaluru Rural
Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and Nelamangala
Chikkaballapura
Chinthamani, Chikkaballapura, Shidlaghatta, Bagepalli, Gudibande and Gauribidanur
Tumakuru
Tumakuru, Tiptur, Sira, Madhugiri, Chikkanayakanahalli
Kolar
Mulabagilu, KGF, Kolar, Bangarpet and Malur
Ramanagara
Harohalli