Every year, World Water Day serves as a stark reminder of the global water crisis, with 2.2 billion people still lacking access to safe water. While surface water availability often dominates discussions, an equally pressing issue lurks underground — the rapid depletion of groundwater reserves. In Haryana, where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy and urbanisation is accelerating, groundwater depletion poses a significant threat to long-term sustainability.
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Haryana is one of the most water-stressed states in India, with over 60 per cent of its blocks classified as overexploited or critical by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The state relies heavily on groundwater for agriculture, drinking water and industrial use. However, excessive extraction is causing a sharp decline in water tables. Recent estimates indicate that groundwater levels in parts of the state are depleting at an alarming rate of 1-1.2 metres per year.
The Green Revolution transformed Haryana into one of India’s leading producers of wheat and rice. However, this success came at a cost. The cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy requires extensive irrigation, leading to severe groundwater depletion. Farmers depend on tube wells to sustain their crops, but the unchecked extraction of groundwater has placed unsustainable pressure on the state’s aquifers.
Haryana’s urban centers, including Gurugram, Faridabad and Panipat, are expanding rapidly, driving unprecedented demand for groundwater. Municipal supply systems struggle to meet the needs of growing populations, forcing residents and businesses to extract groundwater indiscriminately. Industrial hubs also rely heavily on groundwater for production.
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Erratic monsoon patterns have worsened Haryana’s water crisis. Prolonged dry spells and high evapotranspiration rates reduce groundwater recharge, while intense rainfall events cause excessive runoff, preventing percolation into aquifers. This imbalance between groundwater extraction and replenishment is steadily pushing the state towards water insecurity.
Despite generating significant volumes of wastewater, Haryana has underutilised wastewater treatment and reuse. Properly treated wastewater could be repurposed for irrigation and industrial use, reducing dependence on groundwater.
Several districts, including Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, and Hisar, face acute water shortages. As groundwater levels plummet, farmers struggle to access reliable irrigation sources, forcing them to invest in deeper and more expensive extraction methods and leading to financial distress. A decline in water availability could reduce crop yields; Haryana, a major contributor to India’s food supply, may find itself increasingly reliant on external food.
The over-extraction of groundwater is leading to rivers, lakes, and wetlands drying up across Haryana. The declining water table also contributes to increasing soil salinity, reducing agricultural fertility and harming biodiversity. Without immediate intervention, the state’s ecological balance will be severely compromised.
In cities like Gurugram, excessive groundwater extraction is causing land subsidence, which threatens buildings, roads, and other critical infrastructure. Structural damage due to shifting foundations has already been reported.
Strict regulations must be enforced to limit groundwater use in overexploited regions. Haryana should strengthen its Water Resources (Conservation, Regulation, and Management) Authority to monitor and regulate groundwater consumption effectively. Additionally, introducing pricing mechanisms for groundwater use can discourage over-extraction and promote conservation.
Expanding rooftop rainwater harvesting systems in urban areas like Gurugram and Faridabad is crucial. Constructing check dams, percolation ponds, and reviving traditional water conservation structures, such as johads in Mewat, can significantly enhance groundwater recharge. Government incentives for adopting rainwater harvesting should be expanded to both rural and urban households.
Encouraging farmers to shift from flood irrigation to more efficient methods such as drip and sprinkler irrigation can reduce water consumption. Promoting less water-intensive crops such as millets through subsidies and awareness programmes will help diversify Haryana’s agricultural landscape. Strengthening the implementation of the Mera Pani, Meri Virasat scheme, which incentivises farmers to move away from paddy cultivation, will further aid groundwater conservation.
Expanding wastewater treatment infrastructure, particularly in industrial hubs, can help reduce dependence on groundwater. Encouraging industries to utilise treated wastewater for production processes is a viable alternative. Haryana should also explore the development of a water trading mechanism to formalise the reuse of treated wastewater and reduce fresh groundwater extraction.
Educating both rural and urban communities on water conservation through mass awareness campaigns is essential, as is strengthening the role of local panchayats in groundwater management, and integrating water conservation principles into school curricula.
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Haryana’s groundwater crisis is not just an environmental issue but a fundamental threat to agriculture, industry, and urban sustainability. As the state aspires to become a major industrial and economic hub, water security must be a priority.
A comprehensive approach combining regulatory measures, technological interventions, and community-driven conservation efforts is the need of the hour. Implementing stricter groundwater regulations, investing in sustainable water management infrastructure and fostering public awareness will be key to mitigating Haryana’s water crisis.
The author is Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation and Ministry of Planning, Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture and MP, Gurgaon. Views are personal
